Title: mast cell
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - mast cell
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.13442
Status: current

Definition
Large connective tissue cell that contains inflammatory substances such as histamine, proteases (including tryptases, chymases, and carboxypeptidase A), heparin and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, and eicosanoid lipid mediators (the precursors of leukotrienes and prostaglandins). These substances are released in allergic reactions or in response to injury or inflammation.

Note
Mast cells are bound within tissues that interface with the external world such as the skin, respiratory or intestinal tract, as well as in other areas such as heart, synovium, and uterus. Mast cells do not circulate. The mast cell has binding sites on its surface for immunoglobulin E (IgE).

Related Terms
- allergic: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/12858
- immunoglobulin E (IgE): https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/13288
- leukotrienes: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/13384

Source
- PAC, 2012, 84, 1113. 'IUPAC glossary of terms used in immunotoxicology (IUPAC Recommendations 2012)' on page 1210 (https://doi.org/10.1351/PAC-REC-11-06-03)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13442/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13442/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13442/xml

Citation: Citation: 'mast cell' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.13442
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Accessed: 2026-07-13T03:52:47+00:00