influence of nerve tissue-derived neurotransmitters on mast cell migration

in vitro culture systems using bone marrow cells from balb/c mice were set up in medium supplemented with spleen-derived medium. bone marrow cells grown in spleen-derived medium gave rise to cultures containing >97% mast cells. the cells were used in polarisation chemotaxis assays with the intention of determining the effect of nerve tissue-derived neurotransmitters on mast cell migration. some available neurotransmitters including (substance-p, histamine, serotonin, dopa, noradrenaline, acetylcholine, aspartic acid, epinephrine and nerve extracts) were tested. mast cells showed a significant morphological response to 10-3 and 10-4 m histamine, 10-9 m serotonin, and 10'2 m dopa nerve extracts induced some shape changes in mast cells.