Cytokines and Growth Factors

CYTOKINES are small proteins important in cell signalling, which are released by cells and affect the behaviour of other cells. Cytokines include chemokines, interferons, interleukins, lymphokines and tumour necrosis factor.
While growth factors suggest a positive effect on cell division, cytokine is a neutral term with respect to whether a molecule affects reproduction. Some cytokines can be growth factors, but others have an inhibitory effect on cell growth. Some are used as “death” signals and cause target cells to undergo programmed cell death.
Cytokines are produced by a broad range of cells, including immune cells like macrophages, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes and mast cells. They act through receptors and are of special importance in the immune system as they modulate the balance between humoral and cell-based immune responses. They also regulate the maturation, growth, and responsiveness of particular cell populations.
They are important in health and disease, specifically in host responses to infection, immune responses, inflammation, trauma, sepsis, cancer, and reproduction.

Our CELLKINES™ product line consists of Human Interleukin-2 (IL-2), also referred to as T-CELL GROWTH FACTOR (TCGF). Natural Human IL-2 remains the preferred choice for lymphocyte cell stimulation in culture. Recombinant IL-2 produced in E. coli is also available.