Inflammation is an unstable
state. It either resolves or persists. Why
inflammation persists and the factors that define
tissue tropism remain obscure. Increasing evidence suggests that
tissue-resident
stromal cells not only provide positional
memory but also actively regulate the differential accumulation of inflammatory
cells within inflamed
tissues. Furthermore, at many sites of chronic
inflammation, structures that mimic secondary
lymphoid tissues are observed, suggesting that chronic
inflammation and
lymphoid tissue formation share common activation
programs. Similarly,
blood and
lymphatic endothelial cells contribute to
tissue homeostasis and
disease persistence in chronic
inflammation. This
review highlights our increasing
understanding of the
role of
stromal cells in
inflammation and summarizes the novel immunological
role that
stromal cells exert in the persistence of inflammatory
diseases.