An emerging role of mast cells in cerebral ischemia and hemorrhage

Figures & data

Table

BBB	blood-brain barrier
CNS	central nervous system
ICH	intracerebral hemorrhage
IL	interleukin
MC	mast cell
MMP	matrix metalloproteinase
TIMP	tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase
TNF	tumor necrosis factor
tPA	tissue plasminogen activator

Table I.  Main differences in the preformed mediators between rodents and humans.

Species	Rodents		Humans
Mast cell type	mucosal	serosal	MCT	MCTC
Biogenic amine	histamine	histamine, 5-HT	histamine	histamine
Neutral protease	chymase, cathepsin G	tryptase ^a, chymase, cathepsin G, carboxypeptidase	tryptase	tryptase, chymase, cathepsin G, carboxypeptidase
Proteoglycan	chondroitin sulphate, heparin?	heparin	chondroitin sulphate, heparin	chondroitin sulphate, heparin

^aIn some subpopulations only.

5-HT = serotonin.

T = tryptase, TC = tryptase, chymase

Figure 1.  Tryptase-stained section of human brain showing mast cells (arrow-heads) in typical perivascular position.

Figure 2.  Schematic illustration of the neurovascular unit (middle) and the components of the blood-brain barrier (bottom left) and the basal lamina (bottom right) (ECM = extracellular matrix; ZO = zona occludens; AF6 = afadin; 7H6 = tight junction associated phosphoprotein).