Ivan da Mota e Albuquerque, Brazilian immunologist (Recife 09 October 1920 – São Paulo 25 September 2014)

Authored at least 132 papers

ACHIEVEMENTS

Demonstrated that granulations of mast cells store histamine 

With L.C.U. Junqueira, W.T. Beraldo & R.G. Ferri. Intracellular distribution of histamine. Nature 174:698-9, 1954

With L.C.U. Junqueira, W.T. Beraldo & A.G. Ferri. Action of peptone on mastcells of the dog. Nature 173:547, 1954

Possibly the first demonstration of apparent abundance of RNA in retinal cones and rods

With M.Rabinovitch & S. Yoneda. Note on the histochemical localization of glycogen and pentose polynucleotides in the visual cells of the chick (Gallus gallus). Quart. J. Micr. Science 95(1):5, 1954

Described antigen-induced mast cell degranulation in vitro (1956) and in vivo

With I. Vugman. Effect of anaphylactic shock and compound 48-80 on the mast cells of the guinea-pig lung. Nature 177:427-9, 1956

Concluded that mast cells have antibodies fixed on them

With W. Dias da Silva. Antigen-induced damage to isolated sensitized cells. Nature 186:245-6, 1960 

With W. Dias da Silva demonstrated that in low concentration of anti-histamine substances inhibit their release by mast cells and in high concentration occur the inverse (1960)

With W. Dias da Silva showed that anaphylactic antibodies perform reactions only after binding to surface receptors on mast cells

Discovered IgE antibodies before Ishizaka

Suggested the existence of mast cell sensitizing antibody 

Mast cell lytic antibodies. Nature 192:1201, 1961

Characterized the mast cell sensitizing antibody

Biological characterization of mast cell sensitizing antibodies. Life sciences 1:465-74, 1963 

First obtained the induction of an antibody able to sensitize  mast cells 

The mechanism of anaphylaxis. I. Production and biological properties of mast cell sensitizing antibodies. Immunol. 7:681-99, 1963

With J.M. Peixoto. A skin-sensitizing and thermolabile antibody in the mouse. Life Sciences 5:1723-5, 1966

Demonstrated mast cells role in anaphylaxis and other IgE-dependent phenomena

First to identify the biological activity and properties of IgE and IgG1 antibodies

Obtained a new rattle snake antivenin serum (1999)

With O. Bier, W. Dias da Silva  & N. Vaz, authored Imunologia Básica e Aplicada (Fundamentals of  Immunology), translated to English and German (1973) 

METHODS

A method for quantitative estimation of mast cells in the bone marrow of the rat. Blood 6:81, 1951

With S. Yoneda & I. Rabinovich. Plasmal reaction in the blood and haemopoietic organs. Proc. Soc. exper. Biol. Med. 81:338, 1952

Developed Braga-Mota method  

With F. Braga. Homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in mice and heterologous PCA induced in rats with mouse IgE. Immunol. 30:655-57, 1976

With I. Fernandes, F. Gourmont, D. Latinne et al. A rapid and efficient purification method for horse IgG(T) using a rat monoclonal antibody. Braz. J. Med. Biol. Research 27:2599-06, 1994

HONOURS

Visiting Professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Georgetown University, United States 

Honorary Research Assistant, University College of London (1957-8)