Lymphokines

LYMPHOKINES are polypeptide products of activated lymphocytes that participate in a variety of cellular responses, including the regulation of the immune system. They are released in response to antigen, but in contrast to the chemical composition of antibodies, their chemical composition is not determined by that of the stimulating antigen. Lymphokines were originally thought to be produced only by lymphocytes and to communicate with other cells of the immune system. It is now clear that neither the production of lymphokines nor their effects are restricted to lymphoid cells. For these reasons, the term "lymphokine" is yielding to the more general . . .