Basophils were discovered by Paul Ehrlich in 1879 and represent the least abundant
granulocyte population in mammals. The relative rarity of basophils and their phenotypic
similarities with mast cells resulted in this cell lineage being historically overlooked, both
clinically and experimentally. However, recent studies in human subjects and murine
systems have shown that basophils perform nonredundant effector functions and
significantly contribute to the development and progression of TH 2 cytokine–mediated …