Causative agents, mediators and histomorphology of inflammation

The purpose of this survey on the interrelationship of causative agents, mediators and the histomorphology of inflammation is to show to what extent endogenous biochemical factors determine the inflammatory reaction. There is overwhelming evidence, today, that such factors are involved in the manifestation of acute as well as chronic, non-specific as well as well as specific inflammation. In fact, the histomorphological pattern of many inflammatory reactions more directly reflects the activity of the mediators than of the causative agents involved. Therefore, knowledge of the properties of mediators of inflammation does not only provide new insights into the underlying pathomechanisms but may also help in the understanding and interpretation of the histomorphology of inflammatory lesions.