What distinguishes the role of basophils from that of mast cells in immediate hypersensitivity reactions?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the differences between basophils and mast cells in the context of immediate hypersensitivity reactions. It seeks to identify which statement accurately distinguishes the role of basophils from that of mast cells, focusing on their characteristics and functions in immunological responses.
Answer
Basophils circulate and act in late-phase, mast cells are tissue-resident and key in immediate hypersensitivity.
Basophils are circulating cells involved in the late-phase allergic response, while mast cells are tissue-resident cells required for immediate hypersensitivity reactions.
Answer for screen readers
Basophils are circulating cells involved in the late-phase allergic response, while mast cells are tissue-resident cells required for immediate hypersensitivity reactions.
More Information
Both basophils and mast cells are involved in allergic reactions, but their roles are distinct due to their distribution and timing of action in immune responses. Mast cells are crucial for the immediate response, releasing chemicals that mediate the allergic reaction on the spot. Basophils circulate in the blood and come into play during later stages to sustain and enhance the inflammatory response.
Tips
A common mistake is to assume basophils and mast cells are interchangeable due to their overlapping functions in allergic responses, but understanding their different roles and locations helps clarify their specific contributions.
Sources
- Basophils and allergic inflammation - PMC - pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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