In this work we have used an experimental model of acute pancreatitis induced by intraductal administration of sodium taurocholate to evaluate how the progression of pancreatitis correlates with the M1 activation of peritoneal macrophages as well as the effect of IL-4 and IL-13, administered after the induction of pancreatitis, in preventing the M1 activation and inducing the reparative M2 phenotype. The gene discussed is IL4; the disease is acute pancreatitis.