ME/CFS Research Foundation Logo

Cytokine

Description

Cytokines are a broad and loose category of small proteins cell signaling. Due to their size, cytokines cannot cross the lipid bilayer of cells to enter the cytoplasm and therefore typically exert their functions by interacting with specific cytokine receptors on the target cell surface. Cytokines have been shown to be involved in autocrineparacrine and endocrine signaling as immunomodulating agents

Cytokines include chemokinesinterferonsinterleukinslymphokines, and tumour necrosis factors, but generally not hormones or growth factors (despite some overlap in the terminology). Cytokines are produced by a broad range of cells, including immune cells like macrophagesB lymphocytesT lymphocytes and mast cells, as well as endothelial cellsfibroblasts, and various stromal cells; a given cytokine may be produced by more than one type of cell.

Research projects
0
Research types
0
Research networks
0
Working groups
0
People
1
Publications
1
Event items
0

Research projects