The role of platelet-activating factor in inflammation

• Published in: Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 331 - 338
• Main Authors: Camussi, Giovanni, Tetta, Ciro, Baglioni, Corrado
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 01.12.1990; New York, NY Academic Press; Boston
• Subjects: Analysis of the immune response. Humoral and cellular immunity; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Immunobiology; Inflammation - physiopathology; Miscellaneous; Platelet Activating Factor - chemistry; Platelet Activating Factor - pharmacology; Platelet Activating Factor - physiology; Regulatory factors and their cellular receptors; Phospholipid; Inflammation; Immune response; Review; Biological activity; Platelet activating factor
• ISSN: 0090-1229; 1090-2341
• DOI: 10.1016/0090-1229(90)90108-3

An increasing body of evidence supports the hypothesis that platelet-activating factor (PAF) plays a major role in the physiopathology of inflammatory reactions. Much of this knowledge derives from studies that have identified and characterized different biological activities of PAF by using pharmacological rather than physiological concentrations of this phospholipid. Therefore, PAF activities have been mainly identified with potentially detrimental rather than physiological effects. However, it is still surprising how this simple phospholipid exerts such striking effects.