
Inflammation | Definition, Symptoms, Treatment, & Facts | Britannica
Dec 13, 2025 · Inflammation, a response triggered by damage to living tissues. The inflammatory response functions to localize and eliminate injurious agents and to remove damaged tissue …
Inflammation - Cellular Changes | Britannica
Dec 13, 2025 · The most important feature of inflammation is the accumulation of white blood cells at the site of injury. Most of these cells are phagocytes, certain “cell-eating” leukocytes that ingest bacteria …
How Is Inflammation Involved in Swelling? | Britannica
The swelling process, also known as edema, is the result of acute inflammation, a response triggered by damage to living tissues. In the case of injury, the purpose of the inflammatory response is to remove …
Mast cell | Immunity, Histamine & Allergies | Britannica
The chemical mediators produce local responses characteristic of an allergic reaction, such as increased permeability of blood vessels (i.e., inflammation and swelling), contraction of smooth …
Immune system - Macrophages, Antigens, Defense | Britannica
4 days ago · Infection often results in tissue damage, which may trigger an inflammatory response. The signs of inflammation include pain, swelling, redness, and fever, which are induced by chemicals …
Glucocorticoid | steroid, cortisol, inflammation | Britannica
Dec 26, 2025 · In acute stress, this response triggers the release of substances called catecholamines, which include epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol, from the adrenal glands.
Blood - Immunity, Antibodies, Plasma | Britannica
Dec 15, 2025 · Cells of the blood and constituents of the plasma interact in complex ways to confer immunity to infectious agents, to resist or destroy invading organisms, to produce the inflammatory …
Cortisol | Description, Function, Disease, & Facts | Britannica
Jan 7, 2026 · Cortisol plays a major role in the body’s response to stress. It helps to maintain blood glucose concentrations by increasing gluconeogenesis and by blocking the uptake of glucose into …
Immune system | Description, Function, Innate Immunity, Adaptive ...
4 days ago · These cells are the nonspecific effector cells of the innate immune response. They include scavenger cells—i.e., various cells that attack infectious agents directly—and natural killer cells, …
Inflammation - Healing, Repair, Immune Response | Britannica
Dec 13, 2025 · Inflammation - Healing, Repair, Immune Response: During the healing process, damaged cells capable of proliferation regenerate. Different types of cells vary in their ability to …