Studies of the responses of basophil and eosinophil leucocytes and mast cells to the nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis: Comparison of cell populations in parasite resistant and susceptible guinea-pigs

Handlinger J. H. and Rothwell T. L. W. 1981. Studies of the responses of basophil and eosinophil leucocytes and mast cells to the nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis: comparison of cell populations in parasite resistant and susceptible guinea-pigs. Internationaljournal for Parasitology11: 67–70. Basophil and eosinophil leucocytes and mast cells in T. colubriformis resistant and susceptible guinea-pigs were compared. There were significantly more circulating and small intestinal eosinophils in the resistant guinea-pigs. Intestinal eosinophils increased in both groups following infection with T. colubriformis but after 10 days the count in susceptible animals had only reached the pre-infection count in the resistant group. Pre-infection intestinal mast cell counts in the two groups were similar. Mast cell counts in susceptible guinea-pigs did not change during the period of observation but almost doubled within seven days of infection in the resistant animals.