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Fever: its history, cause, and function.

E Atkins

The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine

|May 1, 1982

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Fever and inflammation are linked by a single hormone, endogenous pyrogen, also known as lymphocyte-activating factor. This discovery reveals how the body defends against infection through coordinated physiological responses.

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Area of Science:

Immunology
Physiology
Medical History

Background:

Historical concepts of fever trace back to Hippocrates.
Modern understanding of fever pathogenesis is evolving.
The role of specific hormones in regulating body temperature is under investigation.

Observation:

Endogenous pyrogen (EP) is identified as the primary hormone responsible for elevating body temperature.
Lymphocyte-activating factor (LAF) is a monokine that enhances lymphocyte activity.
A potential identity between EP and LAF has been proposed.

Findings:

Evidence suggests endogenous pyrogen (EP) is identical to lymphocyte-activating factor (LAF).
This single hormone modulates both fever and inflammation.

Related Experiment Videos

Fever and inflammation are closely interrelated phenomena.

Implications:

This finding unifies the understanding of fever and inflammation.
A single hormonal pathway regulates host defense mechanisms.
Evolution has selected for these interconnected responses to protect against infection.