The Novartis Foundation is an international scientific and educational charity which promotes the study and general knowledge of science and in particular encourages international co-operation in scientific research.

"This is an excellent resource for clinicians or basic scientists with an interest in mast cells and related diseases." (Doody's Health Services)

• Symposium on Mast cells and basophils: development, activation and roles in allergic/autoimmune disease, held at the Novartis Foundation, London, 16–18 November 2004Editors: Derek J. Chadwick (Organizer) and Jamie GoodeThis symposium was based on a proposal made by Santa Jeremy Ono. Santa Jeremy Ono: Chair’s Introduction.Yukihiko Kitamura MITF and SgIGSF: an essential transcription factor and its target adhesion molecule for development and survival of mast cellsDiscussion.Paul J. Bryce, Mendy L. Miller, Ichiro Miyajima, Mindy Tsai, Stephen J. Galli and Hans C. Oettgen: Immune sensitization in the skin is enhanced by antigen-independent effects of IgE on mast cellsDiscussion.Yasuko Furumoto, Gregorio Gomez, Claudia Gonzalez-Espinosa, Martina Kovarova, Sandra Odom, John J. Ryan and Juan Rivera: The role of Src family kinases in mast cell effector functionDiscussion.Richard L. Stevens, Nasa Morokawa, Jing Wang and Steven A. Krilis: RasGRP4 in mast-cell signalling and disease susceptibilityDiscussion.J. Abramson, E. A. Barbu and I. Pecht: Regulation of mast cell secretory response to the type I Fce receptor: inhibitory elements and desensitizationDiscussion.General discussion I.Toshiaki Kawakami, Jiro Kitaura, Wenbin Xiao and Yuko Kawakami: IgE regulation of mast cell survival and functionDiscussion.See-Ying Tam, Janet Kalesnikoff, Susumu Nakae, Mindy Tsai and Stephen J. Galli: RabGEF1, a negative regulator of Ras signalling, mast cell activation and skin inflammationDiscussion.Masako Toda, Takao Nakamura, Masaharu Ohbayashi, Yoshifumi Ikeda, Maria Dawson, Ricardo Micheler Richardson, Andrew Alban, Benjamin Leed, Dai Miyazaki and Santa Jeremy Ono: Role of CC chemokines and their receptors in multiple aspects of mast cell biology: comparative protein profiling of FceRI- and/or CCR1-engaged mast cells using protein chip technologyDiscussion.General discussion II.Shigeo Koyasu, Akiko Minowa, Yasuo Terauchi, Takashi Kadowaki and Satoshi Matsuda: The role of phosphoinositide-3-kinase in mast cell homing to the gastrointestinal tractDiscussion.K. Frank Austen: The mast cell and the cysteinyl leukotrienesDiscussion.Silvia Monticelli, K. Mark Ansel, Dong U. Lee and Anjana Rao: Regulation of gene expression in mast cells: micro-RNA expression and chromatin structural analysis of cytokine genesDiscussion.Cellina Cohen-Saidon and Ehud Razin: The involvement of Bcl-2 in mast cell apoptosisDiscussion.General discussion III.P. A. Nigrovic and D. M. Lee: Mast cells in autoantibody responses and arthritisDiscussion.Greg D. Gregory, Allison Bickford, Michaela Robbie-Ryan, Mindy Tanzola and Melissa A. Brown: MASTering the immune response: mast cells in autoimmunityDiscussion.Dean D. Metcalfe: MastocytosisDiscussion.Index of Contributors.Subject Index.