cytokiinien

Cytokiini is a general term for small proteins secreted by cells of the immune system that have a variety of effects on other cells. They are crucial for cell signaling and play a vital role in the body's immune response, inflammation, and hematopoiesis (the formation of blood cellular components). Cytokiines are produced by a wide range of cells, including lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts, and they act by binding to specific receptors on target cells.

The effects of cytokiines are diverse and can be pleiotropic, meaning a single cytokiine can have multiple effects on different cell types. They can promote or inhibit cell growth, differentiation, and death. In the context of immunity, cytokiines are essential for coordinating the activity of immune cells, such as activating T cells, recruiting phagocytes to sites of infection, and inducing fever. They are also involved in regulating the inflammatory process, which is the body's protective response to injury or infection.

Dysregulation of cytokiine production or signaling is implicated in a variety of diseases, including autoimmune disorders, cancer, and infectious diseases. Therapeutic strategies often target cytokiines or their receptors to modulate the immune response or to control inflammation. Understanding the complex network of cytokiine interactions is a key area of research in immunology and medicine.