Cytokines

Cytokines are proteins that are produced by cells. They interact with our body’s immunes system cells to regulate our body’s response to diseases are infection.

There are different types of cytokines. There are:

-Cytokines that stimulate production of our blood cells

-Cytokines that helps in development

-Cytokines that function in the immune system

Cytokines are released by cells into the circulation or right into tissues. The cytokines will find immune cells and interact with receptors on the specific immune cells by binding onto them. This will stimulates responses by the specific cells.

When there are inflammations, some cytokines will respond to fight the infection or injury. Our body will then respond by getting other cells to repair the damage. The area which is injured or infected will becomes red, swollen and warm due to the increase in blood flow. However, the overproduction of certain cytokines in the body can cause diseases.  It have been found that interleukin-1* and tumor necrosis factor-alpha** are produced in excess in rheumatoid arthritis where they get involved in inflammation and tissue destruction.

Cytokines are also said to have adverse effects that is linked to many diseases like major depression, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Too many Cytokines can trigger a dangerous syndrome known as cytokine storm, which is also the main cause of death in the 1918 Spanish Flu. The death victims due to Spanish Flu usually have healthy immune system, thus their body are able to mass produce cytokines. However, the over production of cytokines led to adverse effects and caused their deaths.

*Interleukin-1 is a group of 11 cytokines which plays a central role in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses to infections or sterile insults.

**Tumor necrosis factor-alpha is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation and is a member of a group of cytokines that stimulate the acute phase reaction.