Mast Cell Changes in Animals Exposed to Cold

Abstract

Summary

In the mesentery the number of mast cells increased in the perivascular region after exposing the animals for 2 and 4 weeks at 6°C; in the intervascular region the number decreased after 2 weeks but returned to the initial value after 4 weeks. The same changes were observed in animals exposed at 2°C. In the skin of the abdomen an increase was observed at both temperatures after 2 weeks. In the skin of the ear, which is much more exposed to the environmental temperature than the abdomen, a significant drop was observed after 2- and 4-week exposures to 2 and 6°C. However, the decrease was significantly larger at 2°C than at 6°C. The increases in number of mast cells in abdominal skin and the changes in the mesentery are considered to be systemic effects of cold; the decreases in the skin of the ear are considered to be local effects.