The Relationship between Mast Cells and Histamine in Phylogeny with Special Reference to Reptiles and Birds

Histochemical and Cytochemical Studies on Newt Lung Mast Cells.

“…In this study, we first showed that amphibian mast cells also contain heparin. This result coincides with the previously reported idea that all vertebrates, except fish, have the same type of acid saccharide in the granules of the mast cells [28]. Our histocytochemical studies indicated that these granule structure patterns contained heparin.…”

“…First, mast cell location in the tissue is different. In mammals and birds, mast cells are accumulated along the sides of blood vessels, while in lower vertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, mast cells showed no close association with blood vessels [28]. We also observed that newt lung mast cells were not located close to blood vessels and capillaries.…”

“…Mast cells in lower vertebrates contain no or little histamine, which is an important element in the function of mast cells [19,28]. In higher vertebrates, mast cells are located close to blood vessels, but in lower vertebrates they are not remarkably abundant [28].…”

Examination of Histochemical Techniques for Demonstrating Histamine in Mast Cells

“…However, the mast cells never revealed a positive reaction with any histochemical techniques. This result corresponds to the view of FUJITA and his associates (TAKAYA, FUJITA and ENDO, 1967;FUJITA and TAKAYA, 1968;TAKAYA, 1968TAKAYA, , 1969 that the mast cells are free of histamine below the level of the amphibia. The present authors also doubt the existence of histamine in the mast cells of the Triturus pyrrhogaster (Boie) from their own histochemical results.…”

“…RILEY andWEST (1952, 1953) further found that mast cell tumors in man are relatively rich in histamine, and, therefore, they concluded that the mast cells may contain histamine. BENDITT, ARASE and ROEPER (1956) (FUJITA and TAKAYA, 1968;TAKAYA, FUJITA and ENDO, 1967;TAKAYA, 1968TAKAYA, , 1969 investigated by bioassay and histochemistry the mast cell histamine in fish, amphibia, reptiles and birds, and concluded that histamine may not exist in the mast cells below the level of amphibia in phylogeny. Though the chemical properties of histamine, which is a small, freely diffusible and water-soluble compound, have made its histochemical demonstration difficult, the following methods have been proposed for staining tissue histamine.…”