Santos Mañes

SIGNALLING NETWORKS IN INFLAMMATION AND CANCER

Inflammation is essential for effective defence of the organism against harmful stimuli such as pathogens, irritants or tissue damage. Discovery of the detailed processes of inflammation has revealed a close relationship between the inflammatory reaction and the immune response. Indeed, a hallmark of inflammation is the directed migration (chemotaxis) of inflammatory cells (mostly leukocytes) through blood vessel walls to the site of injury. Nonetheless, a deregulated response to tissue damage might lead to autoimmunity and chronic inflammatory diseases, and can also promote cancer.