The effects of different fixations on the distribution and numbers of mast cells in patients with nasal polyps.

Mast cells in rats have been categorized into mucosal and connective tissue mast cells by properties which include their fixation characteristics and their distribution in tissues. There are a number of factors which make this classification unsatisfactory including the variability of fixation, intensity of background staining and the application of animal studies to man. Seasonal allergic reactions in the nose of man occur both in the surface metachromatic cells and in those within the epithelium; the latter are presumed to be mucosal mast cells.