The mast cell antibody-dependent degranulatory synapse

Abstract

Mast cells are key effector cells in inflammation that can be activated by specific antigens via IgE or IgG binding on their FcR. Aggregation of mast cell Fc receptors by cell-bound antigens induces mast cell polarized degranulation toward the stimulatory cell, a process named antibody-dependent degranulatory synapse (ADDS). This polarized degranulation allows mast cells to expose bioactive material embedded in the granule matrix toward the antibody-targeted cell and is accompanied by the formation of a signaling area at the cell–cell contact site. In this chapter, we describe (1) how to stimulate mast cells with cell-bound antigens and (2) how to monitor ADDS formation and to investigate ADDS characteristics by confocal microscopy.