This test measures the amount of tryptase in the blood.
Other names:
- Mast Cell Tryptase
- Alpha Tryptase
- Beta Tryptase
- Mature Tryptase
Tryptase is an enzyme that is released, along with histamine and other chemicals from mast cells when they are activated as part of a normal immune response as well as in allergic responses.
What are mast cells?
Mast cells, which are granulocytes found in peripheral tissue, play a central role in inflammatory and immediate allergic reactions.
They are present in the highest amounts in:
- the skin
- the lining of the intestine
- air passages,
- and the bone marrow
They contain granules (=particles) that store a number of chemicals, including tryptase and histamine. When mast cells are activated, they release their contents. If a person has too many mast cells (=mastocytosis) and/or the cells are activated inappropriately, the chemicals that are released (especially histamine) may cause symptoms that range from moderate to life-threatening.
Normal conditions:
Normally, the level of tryptase in the blood is very low.
References:
Understand and improve your laboratory results with our health dashboard.
Upload your lab reports and get interpretation today.
Our technology helps to understand, combine, track, organize, and act on your medical lab test results.
- When mast cells are activated, the level increases rapidly, rising within 15 to 30 minutes, peaking at 1 to 2 hours, and returning to normal after several hours to a couple of days. In people with severe allergies, activation of many mast cells can cause an extreme form of allergic reaction (=anaphylaxis), which can cause low blood pressure, hives (blisters on the skin), severe narrowing of the air passages, and even death. Tryptase levels will be very high in people with anaphylaxis.
- In some cases, tryptase levels will be high in persons with mast cell activation disorders, in which mast cells become activated without apparent allergies or other reasons.
- Tryptase levels can also be significantly and persistently increased with mastocytosis, a rare group of disorders associated with an abnormal increase in the number of mast cells. These cells may accumulate in the skin (=cutaneous mastocytosis) or in organs throughout the body (=systemic mastocytosis).
Symptoms:
While cutaneous mastocytosis typically only causes skin problems (particularly hives), people with systemic mastocytosis or a mast cell activation disorder may experience anaphylaxis and its associated symptoms. These symptoms may be persistent and are related to the organs affected by mast cell accumulation. Systemic mastocytosis may progress slowly or may be aggressive, causing organ dysfunction and, in rare cases, causing a form of leukemia.
Interpret Your Lab Results
Upload your lab report and we’ll interpret and provide you with recomendations today.
Get StartedGet Started With Our Personal Plan
Advanced Plan
Unlimited Plan
Are You a Health Professional?
Get started with our professional plan
Welcome to Healthmatters Pro.
Save time on interpreting lab results with the largest database of biomarkers online. In-depth research on any test at your fingertips, all stored and tracked in one place. Learn more
Pro Plan
for health professionals
$45 per month
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
14.3.3 ETA PROTEIN, Acetylcholine Receptor (AChR) Antibody, Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), Alpha 2-Macroglobulins, Qn, ANA SCREEN, IFA, ANA titer, Anti-DBL-Strand DNA Ab, Anti-Smith Antibody, Anticardiolipin Ab, IgM, Anticardiolipin Ab,IgA,Qn, Anticardiolipin Ab,IgG,Qn, Antinuclear Antibodies Direct (ANA Direct), Antiphosphatidylserine IgA, Antiphosphatidylserine IgG, Antiphosphatidylserine IgM, C1 Esterase Inhibitor, Func, C1 Esterase Inhibitor, Serum, C3A Desarg Fragment, CARDIOLIPIN AB (IGA), CARDIOLIPIN AB (IGG), CARDIOLIPIN AB (IGM), CCP Antibodies IgG/IgA, Complement C3, Complement C3a, Complement C4, Serum, Complement C4a, Complement, Total (CH50), Complement, Total (CH50) / Quest, Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody, Dilute Russell's viper venom time (dRVVT), DRVVT SCREEN, ds-DNA Antibody, IgG, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), Free Kappa Lt Chains, Serum, Free Lambda Lt Chains, Serum, Gastrin, Histamine, Plasma, HLA-B27 (Human Leukocyte Antigen B27), Immature Grans (Abs), Immature Granulocytes (%), Immunofixation Result, Serum, Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum, Immunoglobulin D, Quant, Serum, Immunoglobulin E, Total, Immunoglobulin G, Qn, Serum, Immunoglobulin M, Qn, Serum, Interleukin-2, Serum, Interleukin-6, Jo 1 Antibodies, IgG, Serum, Kappa/Lambda Ratio, Serum, Liver-Kidney Microsomal Antibodies, Lupus Anticoagulant, PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE AB (IGA), PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE AB (IGG), PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE AB (IGM), PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE AB (IGA), PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE AB (IGG), PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE AB (IGM), Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor (PAI-1) AG, Prothrombin Fragment 1.2, Prothrombin Time (PT), Prothrombin Time (PT) INR, RA Latex Turbid, Reptilase Clotting Time, Rheumatoid factor, TGF-b1, Thrombin time, Thrombin-Antithrombin TAT, Transforming Growth Factor beta, Plasma, Tryptase, VEGF, Plasma