c-kit Mutant Rats as a Tool for Mast Cell Research-Development and Function

肥大细胞作为效应细胞在即刻超敏反应中发挥着重要作用。在工业化国家，由过敏性鼻炎、婴儿哮喘和特应性皮炎等即刻过敏反应引起的疾病正在增加。为了分析肥大细胞在即刻超敏反应中的作用，肥大细胞缺陷动物是有用的。由于我们最近发现了肥大细胞缺陷的Ws/Ws大鼠，我们试图利用Ws/Ws大鼠与各国的肥大细胞研究人员合作。因为最初的Ws/Ws大鼠不是近亲繁殖的。我们尝试将Ws突变基因导入某些近交系。然而，我们没有找到合适的近交系，在这种近交系下可以饲养相当数量的Ws/Ws大鼠。因此，我们将封闭群的Ws/Ws大鼠清洗到无特定病原体(SPF)的状态。将实验动物送往外国需要符合SPF条件。由于在SPF条件下生产的这些Ws/Ws大鼠似乎令人满意，我们现在计划将这些Ws/Ws和对照/大鼠送到哈佛大学、MaMaster大学和Edingurgh大学。我们认识到，需要相当长的时间才能获得有用的实验动物，并将其运往国外。Tsujimura访问了爱丁堡大学，了解了曼氏志贺氏菌感染实验的情况。北村访问哈佛大学，解释SPF条件下Ws/Ws大鼠生产延迟的原因。加利、珀杜和韦斯特林(代表米勒)访问了大阪大学，了解Ws/Wsrat的特征和饲养方法。我们一起讨论了使用Ws/Ws大鼠进行未来的共产。

Mast cells play an important role for immediate hypersensitivity reaction as an effector cell. Deseases that are induced as a result of immediate hypersensitivity reaction such as allergic rhinitis, infantile asthma and atopic dermatitis are increasing in industrialized countries. To analize the role of mast cells in immediate hyper-sensitivity reaction, mast cell-deficient animals are useful. Since we recently found mast cell-deficient Ws/Ws rats, we attempted to colaborate with mast cell researchers of various counties by using Ws/Ws rats. Since the original Ws/Ws rats are not inbred. we attempted to introduce the Ws mutant gene into certain inbred strains. However, we cound not find any suitable inbred strains, under which genetic background appreciable number of Ws/Ws rats could be raised. Therefore, we cleaned Ws/Ws rats of closed colony into specific pathogen-free (SPF) condition. SPF condition is required to send experimental animals to foreign countires. Since production of such Ws/Ws rats in the SPF condition appeared to be satisfactory, we are now planning to send these Ws/Ws andcontrol +/+ rats to Harvard, MaMaster and Edingurgh Universities. We recognized that it took rather long period to obtain useful experimental animals that can be transported to the foreign countires. Tsujimura visited Edinburgh Univeirsty to learn about an infection experiment with Shistomsoma mansoni. Kitamura visited Harvard University to explain the delay of the production of Ws/Ws rats in SPF condition. Galli, Perdue and Westling (on behalf of Miller) visited Osaka University to learn the characters and the breeding method of Ws/Wsrats. We all to gether discussed future colaboration by using Ws/Ws rats.