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Evidence Of A Neurogenic Component During Ige-Mediated Inflammation In Murine Skin, Victoria Jean Cavanaugh

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The direct stimulation of sensory nerves or the intradermal injection of neuropeptides triggers a cutaneous inflammatory response that involves the degranulation of mast cells. These neurogenic inflammatory reactions are physiologically similar to IgE-mediated hypersensitivity responses, which also depend on mast cells. Although non-antigenic stimuli distinguish neurogenic from IgE-mediated inflammation, the similarity of their effector stages suggested that peripheral nerves may also participate in lgE-mediated responses. To examine this hypothesis, IgE responses were elicited in denervated skin. A murine model was developed where the footpad was denervated by surgically removing a 2 mm segment of the sciatic nerve, proximal to the …