REVIEW ARTICLE published: 25 May 2012 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2012.00120 Mast cell: an emerging partner in immune interaction Giorgia Gri, Barbara Frossi, Federica D’Inca, Luca Danelli, Elena Betto, Francesca Mion, Riccardo Sibilano and Carlo Pucillo* Immunology Laboratory, Department of Medical and Biological Science, University of Udine, Udine, Italy Edited by: Mast cells (MCs) are currently recognized as effector cells in many settings of the immune Ulrich Blank, Université Paris-Diderot response, including host defense, immune regulation, allergy, chronic inflammation, and Paris 7, France autoimmune diseases. MC pleiotropic functions reflect their ability to secrete a wide spec- Reviewed by: Salah Mécheri, Institut Pasteur, trum of preformed or newly synthesized biologically active products with pro-inflammatory, France anti-inflammatory and/or immunosuppressive properties, in response to multiple signals. Joana Vitte, Aix-Marseille University, Moreover, the modulation of MC effector phenotypes relies on the interaction of a wide vari- France ety of membrane molecules involved in cell–cell or cell-extracellular-matrix interaction.The *Correspondence: delivery of co-stimulatory signals allows MC to specifically communicate with immune cells Carlo Pucillo, Immunology Laboratory, Department of Medical and Biological belonging to both innate and acquired immunity, as well as with non-immune tissue-specific Science, University of Udine, P.le cell types. This article reviews and discusses the evidence that MC membrane-expressed Massimiliano Kolbe, 4 – 33100 Udine, molecules play a central role in regulating MC priming and activation and in the modulation Italy. of innate and adaptive immune response not only against host injury, but also in periph- e-mail:
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