IgE bound to mast cells in bronchial mucosa and skin in atopic subjects.

In immune reactions of the immediate type, IgE bound to the membrane of mast cells plays an important role. In 45 patients with allergy and 12 patients without allergy the IgE load on mast cells in bronchial mucosa and skin was measured by an immunofluorescent technique. In the allergic patients a positive score was found in 38 bronchial biopsies and 31 cutaneous biopsies. The difference is significant in favor of the positive score of the bronchus biopsy. A correlation between the titre of IgE, bound on mast cells and the number of mast cells was not found.