Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease characterised by joint destruction and extra-articular manifestations. Different cells and soluble components of the innate as well as adaptive immune system actively contribute to the amplification and perpetuation of the inflammatory processes and structural changes. To date, the knowledge on the mechanisms involved in RA pathogenesis is increasingly precise, mainly due to the recent data obtained from studies on genetics and molecular and cellular biology. In this review article we summarised the new insights into RA pathogenesis from original research articles published in the last year.