Topic summary
Cytokines
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Cytokine.
Cytokines are especially important in the immune system, including in immune responses and inflammation. Cytokines modulate the balance between humoral and cell-based immune responses, and they regulate the maturation, growth, and responsiveness of particular cell populations. Some cytokines enhance or inhibit the action of other cytokines in complex ways. Cytokines are generally released in lower concentrations than hormones. Immune cytokines released by one cell can send signals to the same cell (autocrine signaling), nearby cells (paracrine signaling), and other cells throughout the body (endocrine signaling).