Functional abnormalities in the intestine associated with mucosal mast cell activation.

Mast cells are a significant component of the mucosa in the gastrointestinal tract. There is increasing evidence that these cells are involved in the pathophysiology of various intestinal disorders ranging from food allergy to inflammatory bowel disease. When activated, mast cells release a host of potent mediators and cytokines which are capable of inducing pathophysiology. The bulk of the evidence has come from hypersensitivity studies in …