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Snake bites and bee stings: the mast cell strikes back

Mast cells are thought to contribute to anaphylaxis and damage after snake bites and bee stings. But it now seems that these cells instead mount a defense against venom and inactivate toxins.

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Figure 1: Mast cells detoxify snake venoms by releasing granule products.

Kim Caesar

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Rivera, J. Snake bites and bee stings: the mast cell strikes back. Nat Med 12, 999–1000 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0906-999

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