chemical messengers that allow neighbouring cells to communicate with each other They are paracrine messages as distinct from endochrine or hormonal messengers There are several main families of cytokines including growth factors , neurotransmitters, , lymphokines and many others The method of communication involves detection of the chemical message, a ligand , by receptor proteins for example an integrin on the cell membrane of the receiving cell The result of the message is a shift in the level of gene expression or the expression of new genes and altered cell behaviour Cytokines are complex as they sometimes inhibit and/or facilitate the actions of each other
Cytokines are proteins that are encoded by and often secreted by immunocompetent cells and which control immune activity within the cell or at a distance Cytokines mediate to a large extent immunologic cross-talk between immune cells and within immune cells They represent tiny immunologic messages that can be communicated thoughout the body Certain cytokines can turn parts of the immune system on while others can turn the immune system off Cytokines mediate to a very large extent any inflammatory response They can provoke profound responses in both immune and non-immune cells A dyregulated or possibly appropriate cytokine response is thought to underlie many symptoms of the chronic fatigue syndrome The fever, malaise and flu-like symptoms seen in chronic fatigue syndrome are cytokine mediated The cognitive symptoms and fatigue itself may be cytokine mediated Return to list of Terms
Cytokines are chemicals involved in growth and regulation They also influence bone resorption (breakdown) and formation
any of several regulatory proteins, such as interleukins or lymphokines, that are released by cells of the immune system and act as cellular mediators in the generators of an immune response
chemicals produced by the immune system that stimulate white blood cells to attack and kill viruses, bacteria, foreign cells, or cancer cells
Proteins which occur naturally in the body, and which are similar to hormones Intercellular mediators, cytokines differ from hormones in that they are produced by a number of tissues or cell types They may stimulate immunity
chemical messengers that are involved in the regulation of almost every system in the body and are important in controlling local and systemic inflammatory response
Hormone-like low molecular weight proteins secreted by many different cell types, which regulate the intensity and duration of immune responses Cytokines amplify some parts of the immune system and suppress other parts Many cytokines have been identified such as interferon-a,b, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) Cytokines made by lymphocytes are often called lymphokines or interleukins (abbreviated IL)
Refers to biologic messenger or signalling type proteins that enable cells to influence one another Cytokines are important as part of the immune system in the body In disease states, however, cytokines may send messages that may lead to further joint inflammation and damage
Naturally occurring proteins that regulate or modify the growth of specific cells
Powerful chemical substances secreted by cells Cytokines include lymphokines produced by lymphocytes and monokines produced by monocytes and macrophages
A vast array of relatively low mass, biologically active proteins that are secreted by immune cells Cytokines are signaling chemicals involved in various pathways that contribute to the inflammatory response
non-enzymatic proteins capable of acting as mediators in immune and inflammatory responses, or of determining a proliferative or differentiative stimulus on various cell lines
Powerful chemical substances secreted by cells Cytokines include lymphokines produced by lymphocytes (Read about "The Lymph System") and monokines produced by monocytes and macrophages
= Any of a class of immunoregulatory substances (as lymphokines) that are secreted by cells of the immune system and used either inside the cell where it is created or in the immediately surrounding cells Unlike hormones which travel through the blood to distant sites where they are used
Protein chemical messengers involved in the inflammatory process usually from white blood or similar cells
powerful chemical substances secreted by T cells Cytokines are an important factor in the production of inflammation and show promise as treatments for MS
Substances produced during an allergic and other inflammatory reactions that modify the functions of cells to amplify the inflammation