ABSTRACT
The study of mast cells was pioneered by Paul Ehrlich in the late 1800s (Crivellato et al. 2003). Ehrlich, in some of his œrst studies, and many researchers after him have noted that mast cells are frequently found in chronically inamed tissues. He described their unique metachromatic staining with aniline dyes, which can be used to visualize their abundant intracellular granules. Mast cell granules contain a myriad of mediators that are quickly released upon activation, including histamine, which gives rise to the hallmark symptoms of allergic reactions like those seen in allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and allergic asthma (Rao and Brown 2008).
