Absence of meningeal mast cells in the mutant mouse.

Mast cells (MCs) are located in the meninges of the central nervous system (CNS), where they play key roles in the immune response. MC-deficient mice are advantageous in delineating the role of MCs in the immune response . In this study, we illustrate that a mutation in microphthalmia-associated transcription factor () affects meningeal MC number in a dosage-dependent manner. C57BL/6J null mice lack meningeal MCs completely, whereas heterozygous mice have on average 25% fewer MCs. heterozygous mice might be a valuable tool to study the role of MCs in the meninges.