Figure 2.

Ideal outcome of acute inflammation: complete resolution. Using a systems approach to mapping resolution, temporal and spatial dissociation of eicosanoids was uncovered, which is termed lipid mediator class switching. Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are generated early in the response. Prostaglandins E₂ and D₂ stimulate the transcriptional regulation in human leukocytes for the production of enzymes required for lipoxin biosynthesis. Unresolved acute inflammation is associated with increased prostaglandin and leukotriene production and chronic inflammation. Inset: Experimental acute inflammation shows the temporal theoretical events in edema formation and its decline as well as leukocyte trafficking with nonphlogistic recruitment of PMNs.^1,4 During the decline of PMNs, specialized proresolving mediators are temporally produced in vivo in inflammatory exudates; see text for details.