A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to mast cell migration and chemotaxis is the long-term goal in mast cell research and is essential for comprehension of mast cell function in health and disease. Various techniques have been developed in recent decades for in vitro and in vivo assessment of mast cell motility and chemotaxis. In this chapter, three microscopy assays facilitating real-time quantification of mast cell chemotaxis and migration are described, focusing on individual cell tracking and data analysis.

Department of Pathology and Immunology Washington University in St Louis St Louis MO USA

Laboratory of Biology of Cytoskeleton Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague Czech Republic

Laboratory of Signal Transduction Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague Czech Republic

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