- Section 1 Patients and their treatment
- Section 2 Background to medicine
- Section 3 Cell biology
- 3.1 The cell
- 3.2 The genomic basis of medicine
- 3.3 Cytokines
- 3.4 Ion channels and disease
- 3.5 Intracellular signalling
- 3.6 Apoptosis in health and disease
- 3.7 Stem cells and regenerative medicine
- 3.8 The evolution of therapeutic antibodies
- 3.9 Circulating DNA for molecular diagnostics
- Section 4 Immunological mechanisms
- Section 5 Principles of clinical oncology
- Section 6 Old age medicine
- Section 7 Pain and palliative care
- Section 8 Infectious diseases
- Section 9 Sexually transmitted diseases
- Section 10 Environmental medicine, occupational medicine, and poisoning
- Section 11 Nutrition
- Section 12 Metabolic disorders
- Section 13 Endocrine disorders
- Section 14 Medical disorders in pregnancy
- Section 15 Gastroenterological disorders
- Section 16 Cardiovascular disorders
- Section 17 Critical care medicine
- Section 18 Respiratory disorders
- Section 19 Rheumatological disorders
- Section 20 Disorders of the skeleton
- Section 21 Disorders of the kidney and urinary tract
- Section 22 Haematological disorders
- Section 23 Disorders of the skin
- Section 24 Neurological disorders
- Section 25 Disorders of the eye
- Section 26 Psychiatric and drug-related disorders
- Section 27 Forensic medicine
- Section 28 Sport and exercise medicine
- Section 29 Biochemistry in medicine
- Section 30 Acute medicine
(p. 236) Cytokines
- Chapter:
- (p. 236) Cytokines
- Author(s):
Iain B. McInnes
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780198746690.003.0031
74Cytokines are small glycoprotein mediators that are involved in every facet of immune effector function and regulation, and moreover serve to integrate immune function with other physiologic processes (e.g. metabolism, neurologic function). More than 200 cytokines have been identified. Understanding of the cytokine network has increasing importance in clinical practice with the advent of therapeutic strategies that target particular cytokines with exquisite specificity using biological agents, leading to remarkable advances in the treatment of inflammatory disorders (e.g. anti-TNF therapy in rheumatoid arthritis and anti-IL-17A in psoriasis). The therapeutic potential in their manipulation has not yet been maximized and the future will hold remarkable advances as these molecular networks give up their secrets to provide for highly specific and well-tolerated interventions.
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- Section 1 Patients and their treatment
- Section 2 Background to medicine
- Section 3 Cell biology
- 3.1 The cell
- 3.2 The genomic basis of medicine
- 3.3 Cytokines
- 3.4 Ion channels and disease
- 3.5 Intracellular signalling
- 3.6 Apoptosis in health and disease
- 3.7 Stem cells and regenerative medicine
- 3.8 The evolution of therapeutic antibodies
- 3.9 Circulating DNA for molecular diagnostics
- Section 4 Immunological mechanisms
- Section 5 Principles of clinical oncology
- Section 6 Old age medicine
- Section 7 Pain and palliative care
- Section 8 Infectious diseases
- Section 9 Sexually transmitted diseases
- Section 10 Environmental medicine, occupational medicine, and poisoning
- Section 11 Nutrition
- Section 12 Metabolic disorders
- Section 13 Endocrine disorders
- Section 14 Medical disorders in pregnancy
- Section 15 Gastroenterological disorders
- Section 16 Cardiovascular disorders
- Section 17 Critical care medicine
- Section 18 Respiratory disorders
- Section 19 Rheumatological disorders
- Section 20 Disorders of the skeleton
- Section 21 Disorders of the kidney and urinary tract
- Section 22 Haematological disorders
- Section 23 Disorders of the skin
- Section 24 Neurological disorders
- Section 25 Disorders of the eye
- Section 26 Psychiatric and drug-related disorders
- Section 27 Forensic medicine
- Section 28 Sport and exercise medicine
- Section 29 Biochemistry in medicine
- Section 30 Acute medicine