2011-05-23
Mast cells-beneficial or detrimental?
Mast cells are most known to pose some problems associated with allergies, but they also have an important role in defense against infections. These and other findings are discussed at an international symposium this week in Bålsta.
Mast cells are the body's tissues, and it has long been known to cause many of the symptoms associated with allergic reactions.
New research has shown that they also give damages in connection with other types of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and rheumatism.
It has also been shown that mast cell has a number of useful functions, especially when the body's defense against infection.
The latest research findings on the mast cell will be presented at an international symposium in Bålsta on 26-27 May.
The symposium is funded by a donation from the Marcus Wallenberg Foundation for International Scientific Cooperation.
Organizers of the symposium are researchers from SLU (Gunnar Pejler, Sara Wernersson, Anders Lundquist) and Uppsala University (Jenny Hallgren Martin).
Written by:
Carin Wrange