Figure 2.

The feed-forward loop between radiation-induced inflammation, bone marrow myeloid skewing and persistent tissue damage. This illustrates the link between the initial tissue damage, which signals danger to the immune system, and the recurring waves of inflammatory responses, driven by persistent DNA damage and senescence-associated phenotypes. Positive feed-back to the bone marrow leads to hematopoiesis being adjusted toward emergency myelopoiesis, thereby maintaining a pool of inflammatory myeloid cells that prevents resolution and, instead, causing further inflammatory-related collateral tissue damage. Red circle = self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells.