Models of inflammation: carrageenan air pouch.

The subcutaneous air pouch is an in vivo model that can be used to study acute and chronic inflammation, the resolution of the inflammatory response, and the oxidative stress response. Injection of irritants into an air pouch in rats or mice induces an inflammatory response that can be quantified by the volume of exudate produced, the infiltration of cells, and the release of inflammatory mediators. The model presented in this unit has been extensively used to identify potential anti-inflammatory drugs.