| Traditionally, mast cells have been studied for their role as proinflammatory effector cells in allergic disorders. Recent findings however have opened up the discussion in the community of immunologists regarding MCs should be considered as initiators and effectors of innate immunity as well as cells that can influence the development, intensity and duration of adaptive immune responses. The accumulation of MCs at the periphery of tumors was first reported by Westphal in 1891 and since then, many studies in both experimental models in rodents as well as in diverse arrays of human tumors have confirmed this observation. While correlations and preliminary animal studies have demonstrated the importance of studying MC function in tumors as well as other diseases, the question of whether and how MCs are regulating the outcome of tumor growth or are simply bystander inflammatory cells is still largely unknown.;Where within, we propose that MCs play a role in protecting tumors from immune destruction and attempt to address mechanisms of this action. |
