Anatomical and Functional Relationships Between Sensory Nerves and Mast Cells

Mast cell and sensory nerve relationships fall into three categories: proximity, communication and a shared fate. Mast cells are found in all tissues of the human body, especially located closely to nerves. Mast-nerve membrane to membrane contact is a highly common configuration. This should be by design rather than by accident since such spatial distributions generally indicate a functional relationship. Mast cells associated to sensory nerves contain abundant neuropeptides and also a range of neuropeptide receptors enabling nerve to mast cell, mast cell to nerve and reciprocal communications which form the basis of neuroimmune interfacing. Wondering about the possible effects of this intimacy and communication potential on several physiological and pathophysiological events, specifically on diseases with low success rates of therapy and mysterious mechanisms, scientists have uncovered many aspects of mast-nerve interactions. In light of these studies, from a focal point between the nervous and immune systems, mast cells highlight the concept of collaboration as an indispensable building block of the neuroimmune system.