Chronic inflammation is characterized by prolonged active inflammation alongside tissue destruction and repair, with causes including acute inflammation, persistent factors, and autoimmunity. Key cellular players, particularly macrophages, facilitate various functions such as phagocytosis and cytokine production, contributing to tissue remodeling through the secretion of several enzymes and proteins. Granulomatous inflammation is a specific type involving nodular collections of macrophages and is seen in conditions like tuberculosis and sarcoidosis.