Inflammation

(noun)

An innate immune system function where in response to a pathogen or injury, the chemical mediators cause the blood vessels to dilate, become more permeable, and draws neutrophils to the area.

Related Terms

Examples of Inflammation in the following topics:

  • Inflammation

    • Inflammation is part of the biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli.
    • Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, injury or trauma, and irritants.
    • Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process.
    • Inflammation is not a synonym for infection, even in cases where inflammation is caused by infection, rather it refers to the response of the body to try and fight the infection.

  • Joints and Aging

    • Inflammation is considered to be one of the most common causes of joint pain.
    • Inflammation results in response to pain, infection, and other threats to the body, and can create wear and tear on the body's joints.

  • Vascular Spasm

  • WBC Function

    • Inflammation.

  • Heart Valve Disorders

    • Inflammation of the heart valves due to any cause is called endocarditis; this is usually due to bacterial infection but may also be due to cancer (marantic endocarditis), certain autoimmune conditions (Libman-Sacks endocarditis), and hypereosinophilic syndrome (Loeffler endocarditis).

  • Epidermal Wound Healing

    • Inflammation usually occurs within an hour of the wound occurring.

  • Impingement Syndrome

    • Inflammation and subsequent thickening of the subacromial bursa may also cause impingement.

  • Cystic Fibrosis

    • Inflammation and infection cause injury and structural changes to the lungs, leading to a variety of symptoms.

  • Functions of Blood

    • Inflammation occurs in blood vessels due to the release of inflammatory mediators in the blood, and causes vasodilation and redness as other white blood cells are drawn to the region through the bloodstream to destroy infectious pathogens.