Modern Imaging Technologies of Mast Cells for Biology and Medicine (Review)

Abstract

Mast cells play an important role in the body defense against allergens, pathogens, and parasites by participating in inflammation development. However, there is evidence for their contributing to the pathogenesis of a number of atopic, autoimmune, as well as cardiovascular, oncologic, neurologic, and other diseases (allergy, asthma, eczema, rhinitis, anaphylaxis, mastocytosis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory gastrointestinal and pulmonary diseases, migraine, etc.). The diagnosis of many diseases and the study of mast cell functions in health and disease require their identification; so, the knowledge on adequate imaging techniques for mast cells in humans and different species of animals is of particular importance.The present review summarizes the data on major methods of mast cell imaging: enzyme histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, as well as histochemistry using histological stains. The main histological stains bind to heparin and other acidic mucopolysaccharides contained in mast cells and stain them metachromatically. Among these are toluidine blue, methylene blue (including that contained in May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain), thionin, pinacyanol, and others. Safranin and fluorescent dyes: berberine and avidin -also bind to heparin. Longer staining with histological dyes or alcian blue staining is needed to label mucosal and immature mast cells.Advanced techniques -enzyme histochemistry and especially immunohistochemistry -enable to detect mast cells high-selectively using a reaction to tryptases and chymases (specific proteases of these cells). In the immunohistochemical study of tryptases and chymases, species-specific differences in the distribution of the proteases in mast cells of humans and animals should be taken into account for their adequate detection. The immunohistochemical reaction to immunoglobulin E receptor (FcεRI) and c-kit receptor is not specific to mast cells, although the latter is important to demonstrate their proliferation in normal and malignant growth.Correct fixation of biological material is also discussed in the review as it is of great significance for histochemical and immunohistochemical mast cell detection.Fluorescent methods of immunohistochemistry and a multimarker analysis in combination with confocal microscopy are reported to be new technological approaches currently used to study various mast cell populations.

Fetal Tissue-Derived Mast Cells (MC) as Experimental Surrogate for In Vivo Connective Tissue MC

“…The dark violet staining identified the generated cells of all three cultures as MC with more granules visible in FSMC compared to BMMC (Figure 1B, upper panel). This is confirmed by Giemsa staining, another method to identify MC by staining the cytoplasm of MC with dark blue color, while the granules are red-stained [24]. Giemsa staining of the MC confirmed the higher granularity of FSMC compared to BMMC (Figure 1B, middle panel).…”

Depletion of Lipocalin 2 (LCN2) in Mice Leads to Dysbiosis and Persistent Colonization with Segmented Filamentous Bacteria

“…Sections of 5 µm thickness were stained by standard hematoxylin and eosin (H & E), periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain, chloracetate esterase stain (CAE), and Giemsa stain, following routine procedures [ 86 , 87 , 88 ]. Toluidine Blue stain of mouse tissue was performed as described in detail elsewhere [ 89 ]. For staining of CD45/leukocyte common antigen, antibody M0701 from Agilent (Agilent, Santa Clara, CA, USA) was used at a dilution of 1:2000.…”

Multimodal microscope system for hyperspectral imaging of scattering directionality and Raman excitation spectroscopy

“…MG is a synthetic dye widely used for various purposes, including as a colorant in the textile and paper industries and as an antifungal and antiparasitic agent in aquaculture. In biological research, MG is used as a fluorescent dye to stain cells and tissues for microscopy 29,30 . The absorption spectrum of MG ethanolic solutions shows a band with the maximum at 1682 cm −1 (Figure 2A).…”

“…In biological research, MG is used as a fluorescent dye to stain cells and tissues for microscopy. 29,30 The absorption spectrum of MG ethanolic solutions shows a band with the maximum at 1682 cm À1 (Figure 2A). Upon excitation, MG undergoes a structural change involving a propeller-like rotation of its phenyl rings, 31 which causes a rapid internal conversion to the ground state, and the non-radiative decay process is sensitive to the viscosity of the medium, and thus, MG is used as a viscosity probe for solvents 32 and in nanocavities.…”