FIG. 2.

Immunized mast cell-deficient mice have reduced neutrophil counts in the gastric mucosa postchallenge compared to the counts for immunized wild-type mice. Immunized and unimmunized wild-type (WT) and mast cell-deficient (Kit) mice were challenged with H. pylori, and the gastric mucosa was assessed at 2 (a and b) and 4 (c and d) weeks postchallenge for granulocyte recruitment. Tissue sections were Giemsa stained, and the numbers of mast cells (a and c) and neutrophils (b and d) were quantified in a blinded fashion. Each group contained 6 to 11 mice. Error bars indicate standard deviations from the means. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001 (compared to the wild-type I/C group).