The clinical manifestations of gout are due to interactions between monosodium urate (MSU) crystals and local tissues. This review article outlines recent advances in the understanding of the mechanisms of inflammation in gout. We focus on the cellular response to MSU crystals during acute arthritis, termination of the acute attack and maintenance of asymptomatic hyperuricaemia, and chronic tophaceous disease. We then propose a unifying model of gout involving the differential role of mononuclear phagocytes in the regulation of the inflammatory response to MSU crystals.