title: The Nikolas Symposia and histiocytosis.
abstract: Histiocytoses are a group of rare diseases that involve histiocytes (literally tissue cells (Greek), but in reality tissue-resident macrophages and dendritic cells), which are derived from bone-marrow stem cells. Histiocytoses pose problems similar to those of other rare diseases of childhood. Individual physicians see few cases, disease material is hard to collect and families suffer from lack of information and understanding. In this article, we describe how a series of 'think tank' meetings, the Nikolas Symposia, which have concentrated on Langerhans cell histiocytosis, have furthered our understanding of this enigmatic disease.
authors.affiliation: Jenner Institute, High Street, Compton, Bershire, RG20 7NN, UK. peter.beverley@jenner.ac.uk
authors.forename: Peter C L
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Beverley
authors.forename: R Maarten
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Egeler
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Arceci
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pritchard
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002648:Child; D003713:Dendritic Cells; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages; D009000:Monocytes; D011379:Prognosis