Stem Cells and the Inflammatory Process

Stem Cells and the Inflammatory Process

The word inflammation comes from the Latin inflammatio, which means “to set on fire.” Most people associate it with skin that becomes red, painful and swollen after they get a bug bite or a splinter. Those are common symptoms of acute inflammation.

The inflammatory response is a normal process, and an important mechanism for health; without it, wounds and tissues would not heal. But as with most physiological functions, it is vital that there is a balance. Unfortunately, inflammation that becomes chronic is one of the most troublesome processes in the body.

Chronic inflammation causes significant disruption of the normal functions of cells and – unlike acute inflammation – is usually silent, invisible and persistent. We can’t see it or feel it, but it can cause a host of health-related problems that plague today’s society. (more…)