The field of phagocytic disorders has attained major biologic and clinical
significance in the past 40 years. The development of exciting new techniqu
es in molecular biology and the cellular physiology of signal transduction
have made it possible to identify the genetic defects involved in many of t
hese disorders. Moreover through immunopharmacologic intervention, bone mar
row or peripheral or cord blood stem cell transplantation along with the pr
ospect of gene therapy, we have begun attempts to at least partially correc
t genetic defects in cell development and activation pathways in the entire
spectrum of phagocyte disorders. Carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis
employing with chain reaction techniques or direct nucleotide sequencing in
fetal blood have made these diseases potentially preventable or treatable
in utero or shortly after birth.