[The inflammasome].

Inflammation is a protective response intended to eliminate primary causes of tissue injury, leading to tissue repair and adaptation in a focal lesion. It is thought that various factors are involved in the histopathological responses to tissue injury. One of the inflammatory cytokines, interleukin(IL)-1beta, is thought to play an important role in inflammatory responses. The inflammasome is a multi-protein complex, required for IL-1beta processing and activation to induce inflammation. Over the past decade, evidence has accumulated that the inflammasome contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of various diseases. In this review, we discuss the function of inflammasome and inflammasome-related diseases, that are now expanding beyond inflammation.