Interleukin-6: Biology, Signaling and Strategies of Blockade

Cytokines are proteins, which are engaged in the communication between cells of the immune system. Furthermore, many cytokines perform regulatory functions outside of the immune system. The majority of cytokines show a four-helical protein fold [1]. Members of other protein families such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-18, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and tumor growth factor α (TGFα) are often also referred to as cytokines although they belong to different protein families, which are not discussed here.

Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - July 4, 2015 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Fred Schaper, Stefan Rose-John Tags: Survey Source Type: research