The possible control of chaos in chronic inflammation.

Small differences in inbred animals with a gene for arthritis must be the cause that some of them evolve the disease and others not. These differences are partly stochastic, caused by thermal movement of molecules. It is possible that their effect is amplified by a network of cytokines, known to play an important role in arthritis. Here it is supposed that the cytokines form a chaotic system. Such a system is deterministic but extremely sensitive for small perturbations. However, they can also be used for the control of chaos and this may offer a means of therapy.