Illustration of the potential fates for acute inflammation. Tissue injury activates the release and formation of arachidonate-derived prostaglandins and leukotrienes, which regulate early events in the inflammatory response, such as changes in blood flow, oedema and leukocyte recruitment. Specialized counter-regulatory lipid mediators, such as lipoxins, resolvins and protectins, are generated at a later time and act in a tissue-specific manner to initiate the resolution of inflammation.
