The response to infection is crucial for the survival of an organism. It includes a complex cascade of immunological events involving an array of cell types and the integration of a multitude of biochemical signals. This illustration depicts early inflammatory processes that accompany insult of the epidermis by a sliver contaminated with the bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus. This is shown in contrast to normal tissue surveillance and the accompanying cellular migration patterns that enable the immune system to detect the introduction of pathogens.