Mast cells recruited to mesenteric lymph nodes during helminth infection remain hypogranular and produce IL-4 and IL-6.

Mast cells (MC) and basophils share expression of the high-affinity receptor for IgE (FcεRI) but can be distinguished by their divergent expression of KIT and CD49b. In BALB/c mice, MC lineage cells expressing high levels of FcεRI by flow cytometry were seen only in bone marrow whereas those expressing intermediate levels of FcεRI were present in bone marrow and spleen of naive mice and in mesenteric lymph nodes (mLN) of Trichinella spiralis-infected mice. These FcεRI(+)KIT(+)CD49b(-) cells had a membrane phenotype similar to i.