Mast Cells In Allergic Diseases

In this book, the editors have focused on the roles of mast cells in allergic diseases and discuss the future direction of discovering drugs. Another implication of this book is to understand mast cells at the system level. System biology is a research category to understand biology at the system level by examining the structure and dynamics of cellular and organismal functions, rather than the characteristics of isolated parts of a cell or organism.

In 1879 Paul Ehrlich first described the mast cell as a tissue fixed cell contain ing many granules which, when stained with basic dyes, such as toluidine blue, changed the colour spectrum of the dye in a process called meta chromasia. Since this early description, pathologists, physicians and pharmacologists have been fascinated by this cell on account of its central involvement in human allergic diseases. Approximately four decades after Ehrlich's first description of the mast cell, Prausnitz and Kiistner reported their pioneer experiment, demonstrating that the immediate skin wheal response to allergen could be passively transferred with serum. They named the antigen-specific serum factor reagin. A further four and one half decades had to pass before the connection between the mast cell and reagin could be made with the identification of reagin as an immunoglobulin E by Johansson and Ishizaka and its unique property to bind with high affinity to specific receptors on mast cells and basophils. Meanwhile in the 1920s Coca published a series of papers in which he described the clinical features of acute allergic responses and first used the term atopy. This, together with the fundamental pharmacological studies of Sir Henry Dale in identifying histamine as one mediator of the acute ana phylactic reaction, provided the second approach which eventually linked the mast cell to allergic tissue reactions. Indeed, it was Best, working in Dale's group who first showed that histamine was a chemical stored in mast cells.

Reviews recent basic research into IgE, mast cells, and the allergic response and the relevance of this work to human pathophysiology, and discusses new methods of treatment. This symposium is unique in the IgE field for its breadth of coverage and interdisciplinary nature, and it shows the benefits from the current rapid expansion of knowledge in cell biology, immunology, and molecular genetics, as well as the potential clinical significance of this research to clinical immunologists and allergologists.

The book presents recent advances relating to the factors and mechanisms that regulate the growth, differentiation and function of mast cells and basophils; discussion of new technologies used to study these cells, and integration of the basic scientific findings in the context of therapeutic possibilities for the treatment of diseases such as allergic inflammation and autoimmune disease which are mediated, in part, by these granulocytes.

A concise, easy-to-read, comprehensive, and up-to-date guide designed to help primary care physicians, pediatricians, and internists with the day-to-day diagnosis and treatment of their allergic patients. Its distinguished contributors-all highly experienced clinicians-integrate our latest understanding of the basic mechanisms of allergic disease and develop state-of-the-art treatment protocols that allow busy physicians to sharpen their allergy management strategies significantly. "Summary Boxes" utilized throughout book summarize crucial points and processes for time-pressured physicians, allowing them to quickly grasp a therapeutic situation and determine the best and most up-to-date treatment options. Each chapter contains numerous figures and tables to enhance understanding, treatment algorithms, and a list of suggested readings carefully chosen to deepen knowledge and insight into key points.

The Janeway's Immunobiology CD-ROM, Immunobiology Interactive, is included with each book, and can be purchased separately. It contains animations and videos with voiceover narration, as well as the figures from the text for presentation purposes.

Allergy and Allergic Diseases has been organized to provide an up-to-date, clinically relevant compilation of one of the most exciting areas of investigation in medicine today-allergic disease, especially as it pertains to the skin, airways, and bowel. With the dramatic rise in the incidence of various allergic disorders worldwide, and the coming of age of the discipline of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, the interface between basic and clinical science in this arena demands highlighting in this comprehensive new syn thesis.1t is with the hope of filling this evident need that Allergy and Allergic Diseases: The New Mechanisms and Therapeutics has been put together. The book's content is divided into both basic and clinical sections, with emphasis on various components of the immune and inflammatory response as they relate to the development of allergic disease. Topics span the range from molecular biology to clinical symptomatology, with an effort to make this of interest to as broad a constituency as possible. This book will therefore be of substantial interest to specialists in Clinical Immunology and Allergy, scientists studying the cellular and molecular biology of in flammation and immunity, as well as internists, teachers, developers of medical school curricula, and members of industry focused on drug discovery and therapeutics. Indeed, a separate section has been added to deal with some specific issues in this latter field.

The editors of Mast Cell Biology, Drs. Gilfillan and Metcalfe, have enlisted an outstanding group of investigators to discuss the emerging concepts in mast cell biology with respect to development of these cells, their homeostasis, their activation, as well as their roles in maintaining health on the one hand and on the other, their participation in disease.