Cytokines Flashcards
What is a cytokine?
low molecular weight secreted proteins that regulate intensity and duration of innate and adaptive immune responses
What does autocrine mean?
locally
What does paracrine mean?
neighboring cell
What does endocrine mean?
distant cell
What do cytokines act on?
only cells with a receptor
What is cytokine milieu?
the mixture of cytokines and the environment that they are in will influence how they will work
What are the mechanisms of down-regulating/blocking cytokines?
receptor antagonists, release of soluble receptors to soak up or neutralize, cytokines of opposite effect, and a deceptor receptor
What is IRAP?
a receptor antagonist
How does IRAP work?
the protein binds to the receptor but does not send a signal to the cell therefore it does not have an effect
What is an example of an IRAP?
interleukin 1
What is humera?
a soluble receptor that binds to cytokines outside of the cell and neutralizes it
