Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
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IgE-mediated allergic reactions involve the activation of effector cells, predominantly through the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) on mast cells and basophils. Although the mast cell is considered the major effector cell during acute allergic reactions, more recent studies indicate a potentially important and specific role for basophils and their migration which occurs rapidly upon allergen challenge in humans undergoing anaphylaxis. ⋯ Finally, we examine the potential role of basophils in asthma exacerbations. Understanding the factors that regulate basophil trafficking and activation might lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in anaphylaxis and asthma.