This illustration captures a mast cell at the precise moment of degranulation — one of the defining events of an allergic reaction.

When an allergen re-enters the body, it cross-links the IgE molecules attached to the surface of mast cells. Once a critical threshold is reached, the cell degranulates.

Granules fuse with the cell membrane and release inflammatory mediators, which further trigger the familiar symptoms of allergy: swelling, itching, redness, and asthma.

Allergic reactions, however, do not exist in isolation. Through the neuron–immune axis, immune activation is deeply intertwined with mood and perception. The same molecular signals that drive inflammation can influence how we feel — and our emotional state can, in turn, affect the threshold at which allergic responses are triggered.

Artwork size (unframed): 21 × 29.7 cm (A4). Created on 260g cold-pressed watercolor paper with medium grain and high cotton content (50–90%).

Artwork size (unframed) - inverted version: 21 × 29.7 cm (A4). Acrylic on Van Gogh 360g fine-grain black paper.

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