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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Sep 1.
Published in final edited form as: Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2008 Nov 12;79(3-5):157–163. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2008.09.012

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Lipid mediators in acute inflammation. In response to injury or infection, the acute inflammatory reaction is normally a protective mechanism, initiated by neutrophils summoned to the site to engulf and destroy invading microbes. In this process, neutrophil-derived pro-inflammatory mediators, such as leukotrienes and prostaglandins, and the unintentional release of hydrolytic enzymes and reactive oxygen and free radicals can enhance this process potentially leading to chronic inflammation. At contained exudate sites, within the resolution phase neutrophils promote resolution when they change phenotype (lower panel) to generate protective mediators that are derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).