Mast cells infiltrate kidneys of humans with crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN), and the
degree of infiltrate correlates with outcome. However, a functional role for mast cells in the
pathogenesis of GN remains speculative. GN was induced by intravenous administration of
sheep anti-mouse glomerular basement membrane globulin. After 21 d, systemic immune
responses and disease severity were analyzed in wild-type, mast cell–deficient (W/W v), and
bone marrow–derived mast cell–reconstituted W/W v mice (BMMC→ W/W v). There were no …