Unregulated activation of mast cells can contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory and
allergic diseases, including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and
multiple sclerosis. Absence of mast cells in animal models can lead to impairment in the
innate immune response to parasites and bacterial infections. Aberrant clonal accumulation
and proliferation of mast cells can result in a variety of diseases ranging from benign
cutaneous mastocytosis to systemic mastocytosis or mast cell leukemia. Understanding mast …