Pathology of Septic Shock

This volume summarizes the present basic and clinical knowledge on the complex syndrome "sepsis". The current findings rest on an interdisciplinary approach in attempting to unravel the molecular pathways causing this disease. The immune system senses bacterial toxins and is target as well. Recent insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these processes unravelled for LPS the signal pathways triggering activation and acute cytokine release of the respective target cells. Based on the findings in animal model systems there is an urgend need to evaluate whether in humans the respective state of sensitisation can be defined and influences the impact of bacterial transition in causing the septic syndrome.