Mast Cell Development, Activation and Contribution to Health and Disease

Dear Colleagues,

Mast cells (MCs) are widely recognized as effector cells of type I hypersensitivity reactions. Their distinguishing features are typical MC granules filled with potent mediators, including histamine and MC proteases, which can be acutely externalized by degranulation. Also occurring, though less rapidly, is the expression and release—by MCs—of a variety of other mediators, especially cytokines, that can orchestrate innate and adaptive immunity and a spectrum of other pathophysiological processes.

At least in the mouse, mast cell progenitors develop in the yolk sac or the bone marrow, but undergo terminal differentiation in close interaction with neighboring cells within peripheral tissues (like skin, gut, or lung) in which they become resident. Our understanding of the pathways that regulate MC proliferation, differentiation, and survival—from the stages of the earliest multipotent progenitors to the fully mature tissue mast cells—and the factors favoring MCs over other lineages are still rudimentary, especially in humans.

While type I allergic reactions triggered by specific IgE + allergen are fairly well understood, evidence is accumulating that the more recently uncovered Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor type 2 (MRGPRX2) may occupy a similarly important role in clinically relevant MC activation and, therefore, determine MC involvement in health and disease, though the knowledge regarding this remains in its infancy. Therefore, this novel pseudo-allergic/neurogenic route of mast cell activation is currently an area of highly active research.

In this Special Issue of Cells, we are inviting contributions either in the form of original research articles, reviews, or shorter perspective articles on all aspects related to the subject of “Mast Cell Development, Activation, and Contribution to Health and Disease”. Articles with mechanistic and functional insights at either a cellular or molecular level, both in vitro and in vivo, are particularly welcome. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to:

* Mast cell heterogeneity and plasticity, including (major and minor) mast cell subsets;
* Mast cell development;
* Mast cell relationship with other hematopoietic lineages;
* Insights into mast cell activation by the allergic and the pseudo-allergic/neurogenic, (MRGPRX2-triggered) route;
* Structure–activity relationships and chemical properties of MRGPRX2 ligands (agonists and antagonists);
* Other mast cell receptors and their contribution to mast cell functional programs;
* Mast cell survival;
* Mast cell signal transduction;
* Transcriptional regulation by transcription factors, epigenetic and other mechanisms, and MC-specific promoters;
* Mast cell mediators and their regulation;
* Mast cell communication with natural neighbor cells;
* Beneficial functions of mast cells that safeguard health;
* Novel deleterious roles of mast cells contributing to pathologies of various natures.

Dr. Magda Babina
Guest Editor

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