ABSTRACT
MHC class II molecule
expression is observed on all cells.
BASE PAIR (bp)
Measure of the length of a double-stranded
DNA
molecule by the pairs
adenine
(A) and
thymine
(T) or
cytosine
(C) and
guanine
(G).
BASOPHIL
Basophils, like
eosinophils
and
neutrophils
, belong to the
granulocyte
subpopulation of
leukocytes
. Like
mast cells
, these cells express
high
-
affinity IgE receptors
on the surface. Therefore, they play a major role in
immediate hypersensitivity
reactions of
IgE
-mediated
allergic diseases
. Although basophils also generate and release
histamine
, they appear to be more functionally related to eosinophils than to mast cells. Basophils and eosinophils share most of their surface
receptors
(see
eosinophil surface molecules
) and respond to
cytokines
,
chemokines
, and other agents in a similar fashion. Since they express large amounts of
IL-4
and
IL-13
,
basophils may play a major role in the development of
Th2 cells
in these diseases. However, their exact role and contribution in the development of allergic diseases is still unclear.
