How mast cells make decisions

Mast cells (MCs) are present in various tissues and are responsible for initiating many of the early inflammatory responses to extrinsic challenges. Recent studies have demonstrated that MCs can tailor their responses, depending on the stimulus encountered and the tissue in which they are stimulated. In this issue of the JCI, Gaudenzio and colleagues examine the mechanistic differences between MC responses observed after engagement of Fc epsilon receptor I and those seen after MC stimulation via the recently identified G protein-coupled receptor MRGPRX2. By showing that discrete cellular activation patterns affect the phenotype of the MC response in vivo and in vitro, the authors provide important information about how MCs differentially process various stimuli into distinct degranulation programs.