The structural properties and thermodynamics of one- and two-component solutions of charged colloidal particles with explicit counterions have been investigated by Monte Carlo simulation. A boot-strap Poisson-Boltzmann (BSPB) theory has been developed to interpret these results and the accuracy of its predictions is compared with other existing theories. The BSPB was also used to predict the gas-liquid binodal and spinodal curves for a one-component system with colloid charge to counterion-charge ratio Z(r)=10. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.