Thread by @UntoNuggan

does anyone have any research papers about what mast cells are *supposed* to do in the digestive tract?

seeing a lot of papers about dysfunction, but honestly I always find it easier to troubleshoot when I understand how something works in like, a Platonic ideal

#NEISvoid
#MCAS

Paging

@Really_Richelle
@ahandvanish
@alexhaagaard
@8Eevert

For possible help finding info on this (see above tweet)

My general sense is that mast cells are responsible for sending two types of signals to the digestive tract:

Yes, it's safe to digest food rn

Nope, it's fighting invaders time, please pause digestion during this emergency

And maybe also coordinating this response between the immune system, nervous system (including theenteric nervous system), and the microbiome

But I don't have specific sources for this, it's just kind of a vague impression based on things I've read about mast cells/the GI tract

part of why I'm typically good at connecting a lot of different topics is because it's really hard for me to learn about like, a specific mast cell mediator or peptide or enzyme or whatever, without slotting it into how it works as a part of how the body functions...or doesn't 😅