Inflammation

All disease is due to cell injury. Cell injury results in inflammation. The cardinal signs of inflammation were first described by Cornelius Celsus. You can actually read a translation of Celsus' De Medicina here.



You can learn a lot about Acute Inflammation at this website; chronic inflammation and healing and repair.

The pathogenesis of inflammation involves the leukocyte adhesion cascade. You can learn more about this process here.

This process is very important. Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency Syndrome is a very rare genetic disorder caused by lack of, or deficiency in production of the cell surface molecule CD18.



Persistent injury can result in chronic inflammation. The above is one example. A Nobel Prize was awarded for this disovery.



The process of inflammation is very complex. There are many molecules involved and a few of them can be seen in the above figure showing airway smooth muscle mediators of inflammation.

More on molecular mediators of inflammation can be found HERE.

Plasma-derived mediators of inflammation:

Clotting system - read this.

Complement system - read this. We will discuss the complement system further under immunity. But the complement system generally has an under appreciated role in inflammation.

Kinin system - read this. [pdf available]

Cell-derived mediators of inflammation:

Vasoactive amines - read this and this.

Cell membrane factors - read this and this.

Cytokines (here and here)and Chemokines (here and here).

Reactive oxygen compounds - read this and this.

Chronic inflammation differs from acute inflammation. Read about it here.