3.6 Cytokines
  • Cytokine: one of more than 100 distinct substances produced primarily by white blood cells.  They provide signals to regulate immunological aspects of cell growth and function during both inflammation and specific immune response.
  • Cytokines produced by monocytes or macrophages are called monokines.
  • Cytokines produced by lymphocytes are called lymphokines.
  • Each cytokine is secreted by a specific cell in respose to a specific stimulus.
  • Cytokines include:
  • interleukins
  • interferons
  • tumor necrosis factors
  • erythropoietin
  • colony-stimulating factors
  • Cytokines act by :
  • changing the cells the produce them (autocrine effect)
  • altering cells close to them (paracrine effect)
  • a few affect cells systemically (endocrine effect)
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