OBSERVATION ON MAST CELLS IN SUBCUTANEOUS CONNECTIVE TISSUE AT POINTS IN ALBINO RATS / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

After acupuncture,histamine flares are often found on skin arround acupuncture points in most patients,histamine and other biologically active substances are always present in the local soft tissues.“Meridian phenomena”,such as urticarious skin reaction or red line along the meridian may be shown in a few patients.It is well known that mast cells release histamine and other active mediators.The purpose of this paper is to observe the distribution of mast cells in the connective tissue at points in albino rats and if there is any difference in the distribution pattern of mast cells between adult and new born rats. 52 albino rats,including adult,new born and developing ones were investigated. Points selected on the lower extremities were identified by decreased electric resistance and were marked with indian inkthe electric resistance of skin beside points was detected simultaneously as control.The mast cells in the spread preparations of subcu- taneous connective tissue(fascia)in albino rats were fixed in alcohol-formalin and stained with toluidin blue.Most specimens of fascia were fixed at first and spread on the slides later,while some specimens were spread before fixation.No essential difference between both kinds of specimens was found. In the adult rats,the mast cells in fasciae are distributed not uniformly,they are oval in shape and are usually arranged in rows along the cell length with polarity. Many rows of mast cells are packed to form an elongated zone.Several zones oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axis of lower extremities are found.The mast cells are crowded in the field of marked points along the zone.Besides,it is found that the mast cells along small blood vessels are slender and fusiform in shape. However,in new born rats,mast cells are distributed uniformly and most of them are round in shape.The mast cells are arranged in random way without polarity.In the arrangement of mast cells neither row nor zone is found,and there is no difference in distribution of them everywhere. In the developing rats aged one month or so,the morphology of mast cells is similar to that of the new born,except that they are more numerous at the points. In the adult rats,electric resistance at various points is 260 kilo-ohm,while that of control is more than 500 kilo-ohm.In contrast with the adult,the electric resistance on any part of skin(at point or not)of the new born is equal,more than 500 kilo- ohm,and the electric resistance of points is decreased with development of albino rats in which an apparent decrease may be demonstrated in the rats aged about one month.It seems to be that there are parallel changes with growth of individuals between the morphological character of mast cells in the fasciae and functional property detected by electric resistance at points. It has been considered that the morphology and amount of mast cells may indicate the activity of metabolism of connective tissue.It suggests thence that the metabolism of fasciae at points may be more active and the points may be formed with the developed function in individuals after birth in albino rats.