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Updated: May 11, 2026

Detection of Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptotic Cell Death in Murine Bone Marrow-derived Macrophages
Published on: May 21, 2018
Activation and regulation of the inflammasomes
Eicke Latz1, T Sam Xiao, Andrea Stutz
1Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital, University of Bonn, Bonn 53127, Germany. eicke.latz@uni-bonn.de
Abstract:
Inflammasomes are key signalling platforms that detect pathogenic microorganisms and sterile stressors, and that activate the highly pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18. In this Review, we discuss the complex regulatory mechanisms that facilitate a balanced but effective inflammasome-mediated immune response, and we highlight the similarities to another molecular signalling platform - the apoptosome - that monitors cellular health. Extracellular regulatory mechanisms are discussed, as well as the intracellular control of inflammasome assembly, for example, via ion fluxes, free radicals and autophagy.
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