Stress as the most common cause of mast cell activation
Systemic mastocytosis is a rare disease of the mast cells. Mast cells are cells of the hematopoietic system and play a decisive role in the defense against infections and allergic reactions. When mast cells are activated, they can release certain substances (e.g. histamine) and thus fight pathogens and also mediate severe allergic reactions, for example to bee or wasp stings and certain medications. The release of these messenger substances is precisely regulated to prevent excessive release and thus damage to the organism. In mastocytosis, this regulatory mechanism is disrupted due to an acquired genetic change (mutation in the c-Kit gene) and the mast cells release an excessive amount of messenger substances after a stimulus or even without a recognizable trigger. Stress appears to be the most common trigger of mast cell activation.