Figure 1.

Schematic representation of the cell and molecular events participating in the sensitization and acute-phase reactions during an IgE-mediated allergic response. These include cytokine/cytokine receptor signalling events involved in the generation of antigen-specific IgE, and the downstream events such as mast cell/basophil degranulation associated with acute diseases. As amplified signals at each stage may predispose individuals for allergic disease, it is perhaps not surprising that gene products in each of these pathways have been implicated as potential allergy susceptibility genes.