Inflammation

Inflammation: Immune Response Against the Body

Inflammation (Latin-medical: Inflammatio) refers to reactions in which the immune system targets the body's own tissues. Triggers can include allergens or pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. However, mechanical stimuli like pressure or friction can also lead to inflammation. The goal of inflammation is to eliminate the damaging stimulus (e.g., remove pathogens or toxins from tissue cells) and create the conditions for repair processes ("healing"). Inflammation is thus an expression of an organism's immune response.

The inflammatory response is a complex process involving the regulation of, among other things, immunocompetent cells, antibodies, and inflammatory mediators.

The medical terms for inflammations are usually formed by adding the suffix -itis to the Greek term for the affected organ.