Heath D, Lowe P, Smith P
J Clin Pathol. 1987 Jan;40(1):9-12. doi: 10.1136/jcp.40.1.9.
Mast cell counts were carried out on sections of human carotid bodies from 39 subjects showing one of four stages of histological change associated with aging, and in five subjects showing different forms of histopathology in the carotid body associated with disease. There was no relation between mast cell density and age or the histological changes associated with aging of glomic tissue. The normal range of mast cell density calculated in terms of the 80% confidence limits was 18.5 to 67.5/mm2. In three middle aged subjects with carotid bodies of normal histological appearance there was an abnormally high density of 83 to 96/mm2. In two elderly subjects showing age changes of fibrosis and accumulation of lymphocytes there was an abnormally low density of 12/mm2 or less. Mast cell density was not related to different types of carotid body hyperplasia. The mast cells were essentially stromal in location, usually closely applied to the walls of small glomic blood vessels, and were rarely found in intimate association with glomic chief cells. This suggests that mast cells are not directly concerned with the functions of glomic cells but does not preclude the possibility that they may have some effect on regulating glomic blood vessels and thus participate in the distribution of blood supply within the carotid body.
对39名受试者的人颈动脉体切片进行肥大细胞计数，这些受试者呈现出与衰老相关的四种组织学变化阶段之一，另外对5名颈动脉体呈现与疾病相关的不同组织病理学形式的受试者也进行了计数。肥大细胞密度与年龄或与球旁组织衰老相关的组织学变化之间没有关联。根据80%置信区间计算出的肥大细胞密度正常范围为18.5至67.5/mm²。在三名颈动脉体组织学外观正常的中年受试者中，肥大细胞密度异常高，为83至96/mm²。在两名呈现纤维化和淋巴细胞积聚等年龄变化的老年受试者中，肥大细胞密度异常低，为12/mm²或更低。肥大细胞密度与不同类型的颈动脉体增生无关。肥大细胞主要位于间质中，通常紧密贴附于球旁小血管壁，很少与球旁主细胞紧密相连。这表明肥大细胞与球旁细胞的功能没有直接关系，但并不排除它们可能对调节球旁血管有一定作用，从而参与颈动脉体内血液供应分布的可能性。
