Cell activity factor is the immune system cells and other types of cells actively secreted by a class of small molecular weight soluble proteins. Including lymphokines, interferon, interleukin, tumor necrosis factor, the trend factor and colony-stimulating factor. The immune system cells, and immune system cells and other types of contact between the core cells, secreting cells can change the behavior of themselves or other cells or the nature of the cell through specific membrane receptor function. Is a kind of transmission of information in cells, immune regulation and effector functions of the protein, is a non-immune cells immune cells and synthesis and secretion, and immune cells in the immune response is the interaction between media, with and regulation of the immune-mediated answer a variety of physiological functions.
From the molecular structure, cytokines are small peptide molecules, most of the about 100 amino acids. Cytokines and target cells through cell surface receptor specific binding in order to play its biological effects, these effects include the promotion of proliferation and differentiation of target cells, enhanced anti-inflammatory effect and kill tumor cells, stimulate or inhibit other cytokines synthesis, and promote the inflammatory process, affect cell metabolism. The role of cytokines in a network of these characteristics, namely, the role of each cytokine in a variety of cells can be; each cell may be subject to a variety of cytokines; different cytokines or synergies between the role of mutual restraint by This constitutes a complex network of immune regulation of cytokines. There is now awareness of the network is still far from clear. The medical profession to the forefront of DNA research, eugenics genetics are based on the basis of such issues.