Cytokines

Our immune system is considered as an integrated model of unity, communication, and cooperation, which always works for keeping our bodies, in a favorable state as well as keeps it surviving.

To become our immune system what it is, it was necessary for its cells to stay connected to other immune cells, therefore, there were its language cytokines.

our immune cells use different types of cytokines to stimulate proliferation and activate the other cells, to come over the virus and tumor cells. The term " cytokine" is a combination of two Greek words, where "cyto-" means cell and "- kine" means movement, furthermore, cytokines are specific groups of protein, peptides, or glycoproteins that are secreted by certain cells that have a specific effect on the interactions and communications between cells of the immune system. Cytokines can be made by too many different cell types, but the predominant producer cells are helper T cells and macrophages.

Cytokine is a common name, in other words, the specific and fixed other names include

a)Lymphokine; they are cytokines that made and secreted by lymphocytes

b)Monokines; they are cytokines which secreted by monocytes

c)Chemokine; they are cytokines with chemotactic activities

d)Interleukin; they are cytokines secreted by leukocyte and acting on other leukocytes.

Cytokines have too many types of target cells, where they usually act on

a)the cells that secrete them, that called "autocrine action"

b)neighbor cells, that called "paracrine action".

c)distant cells, which called "endocrine action".

Generally, Cytokines are soluble proteins, which control of the activation of macrophages, chronic inflammation, as well as, it responsible for growth, proliferation and differentiation of T-cells and B-cells during the acquired immune response”.