Points of control in inflammation.

TitlePoints of control in inflammation.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2002
AuthorsNathan C
JournalNature
Volume420
Issue6917
Pagination846-52
Date Published2002 Dec 19-26
ISSN0028-0836
KeywordsAnimals, Apoptosis, Cytokines, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress
Abstract

Inflammation is a complex set of interactions among soluble factors and cells that can arise in any tissue in response to traumatic, infectious, post-ischaemic, toxic or autoimmune injury. The process normally leads to recovery from infection and to healing, However, if targeted destruction and assisted repair are not properly phased, inflammation can lead to persistent tissue damage by leukocytes, lymphocytes or collagen. Inflammation may be considered in terms of its checkpoints, where binary or higher-order signals drive each commitment to escalate, go signals trigger stop signals, and molecules responsible for mediating the inflammatory response also suppress it, depending on timing and context. The non-inflammatory state does not arise passively from an absence of inflammatory stimuli; rather, maintenance of health requires the positive actions of specific gene products to suppress reactions to potentially inflammatory stimuli that do not warrant a full response.

DOI10.1038/nature01320
Alternate JournalNature
PubMed ID12490957

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