Toll样受体（TLRs）是一类模式识别受体家族，它能通过介导细胞信号转导系统导致炎症因子的释放，从而在识别病原微生物、启动炎症应答中起重要作用。其中，TLR4是识别革兰阴性菌细胞外壁脂多糖成分的主要受体，因此在脓毒症的病理生理过程中，TLR4/CD14就成为了脂多糖诱导炎症反应最主要的通路。此外，TLR4的基因多态性与机体对脓毒症的个体易感性密切相关，这为疾病的诊断和治疗提供了重要的理论依据。

Toll like receptors (TLRs) is a family of pattern recognizing receptors, which may lead to the release of inflammatory cytokines by inducing the cellular signal transduction system, and play an important role in recognizing pathogen and initiating inflammatory response. TLR4 is the major receptor recognizing gram-negative bacteria cell wall components including lipopolysaccharide, and the TLR4/CD14 signaling pathway is the most important way in inflammation reaction induced by lipopolysaccharide, which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. The genetic polymorphism of TLR4 is associated with the individual susceptibility to sepsis, which provides important reference for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.