Diferentes tipos de respuesta inflamatoria en el asma

Asthma is a complex disease in which numerous inflammatory cells and more than 100 mediators participate with multiple effects. The inflammatory infiltrate in asthma is multicellular and consists of eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes and mononuclear cells in variable proportions. These cells and the mediators released are the cause of immediate and delayed response in asthma. Mastocytes play a major role in the immediate symptoms of asthma while eosinophils, macrophages, neutrophils and Th2 lymphocytes mainly intervene in chronic inflammation. Distinct inflammatory phenotypes have been described in asthma, defined on the basis of the predominating cell type. In addition, specific cellular structures in the airway, such as epithelial cells and bronchial smooth muscle, participate in the production of inflammatory mediators and in the development of airway remodeling.