Inflammation is the body's protective response to injury or infection. It involves a complex interplay of immune cells, chemical mediators, and vascular changes that work together to eliminate threats and promote healing.
Understanding the inflammatory process is crucial for grasping how the body defends itself. From acute responses like sunburns to chronic conditions like arthritis, inflammation plays a key role in health and disease, affecting multiple body systems.
Inflammatory Response Characteristics
Acute vs chronic inflammation
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Acute inflammation
Short-term response manifests rapidly within minutes to hours
Lasts days to weeks resolving with healing or progressing to chronic state
Neutrophils dominate cellular response engulfing pathogens and debris
Characterized by rapid onset and resolution (sunburn, minor cuts)
Chronic inflammation
Long-term response develops slowly over days to years
Persists for months to years causing ongoing tissue damage and repair
Lymphocytes and macrophages predominate mediating adaptive immunity
Results in prolonged inflammation (rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis)
Cardinal signs of inflammation
Five cardinal signs
Rubor redness due to increased blood flow
Calor heat from elevated metabolic activity and blood flow
Tumor swelling caused by fluid accumulation in tissues
Dolor pain from nerve ending stimulation by inflammatory mediators
Functio laesa loss of function due to pain, swelling, and tissue damage
Physiological explanations
Redness and heat result from vasodilation increasing blood flow to affected area
Swelling occurs as vascular permeability increases allowing fluid accumulation
Pain arises when chemical mediators stimulate local nerve endings
Loss of function stems from combined effects of pain, swelling, and tissue injury
Inflammatory Process Mechanisms
Immune cells in inflammation
Key immune cells
Neutrophils arrive first performing phagocytosis of pathogens and debris
Macrophages engulf pathogens and present antigens to adaptive immune cells
Lymphocytes coordinate adaptive immune responses (T cells, B cells)
Mast cells release histamine and other mediators triggering early inflammatory response
Chemical mediators
Histamine causes vasodilation and increased vascular permeability
Prostaglandins promote vasodilation and sensitize pain receptors
Leukotrienes guide chemotaxis and increase vascular permeability
Cytokines facilitate cell signaling and regulate immune responses
Complement proteins enhance opsonization and induce cell lysis
Vascular changes
Vasodilation increases blood flow to affected area
Increased permeability allows fluid and protein exudation into tissues
Cellular events
Margination leukocytes adhere to vessel walls
Diapedesis leukocytes migrate through vessel walls into tissues
Chemotaxis directs leukocyte movement towards inflammatory stimuli
Systemic effects of inflammation
Fever
Pyrogens (IL-1, TNF-α) elevate body temperature
Increases metabolic rate and oxygen consumption
Acute phase response
Liver produces acute phase proteins
C-reactive protein enhances opsonization and activates complement
Fibrinogen increases blood viscosity and clotting risk
Leukocytosis
Elevated white blood cell count in circulation
Fatigue and malaise
Energy redirected to support immune response
Anorexia
Decreased appetite from cytokine effects on hypothalamus
Muscle protein catabolism
Muscle breakdown provides energy and materials for acute phase proteins
Neuroendocrine changes
Increased cortisol production modulates inflammation
Altered insulin sensitivity affects glucose metabolism
Anemia of chronic disease
Decreased red blood cell production and iron sequestration
Cachexia
Severe weight loss and muscle wasting in prolonged inflammation (cancer)