Mastocytosis

Mastocytosis is a rare disorder, a type of mast cell disease, that can affect both children and adults. It is caused by the accumulation of functionally defective mast cells, also called mastocytes, together with CD34-positive mast cell precursors. Because mast cells store and release histamine and other pro-inflammatory substances, people with the condition are prone to a range of symptoms, including itching, hives and anaphylactic shock. The English Wikipedia lead on which this entry rests is brief, so this description stops at what that lead supports: what the cells are, who is affected and the main symptoms. Its classification into cutaneous and systemic forms, its genetic basis and its treatment are left for later depth work from further sources.