Les mediateurs biochimiques de l'inflammation

Inflammatory processes are the physiological response of the organism to different stimuli such as trauma, infections or immunological reactions. The events leading to inflammation are characterized by leukocytes adhesion to the endothelium, diapedesis and migration, cells activation and tissue remodelling. These processes are initiated and regulated by a great variety of inflammatory mediators including cytokines, prostanoids, leukotrienes, neuropeptides, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, complement components, coagulation factors and metalloproteases. This paper is devoted to the description of the major local effects of these mediators in the inflammatory reaction.