Embryonic development, cytokine functions

Cytokines are proteins that serve as signal molecules in cell-cell communication, and as such, perform a central and very diverse function in growth and differentiation of an organism. Representatives of cytokines control proliferation, differentiation and function of cells of the immune system and of cells of the blood-forming system. Furthermore, they are involved in processes of inflammation and in the neuronal, hema-poetic and embryonal development of the organism. Known cytokines include the interleukins (IL), erythropoietin, growth hormone, interferons (INF) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) (see Table 8.1). A review of cytokines and cytokine receptors is to be found in HiU and Treisman, (1995) Taniguchi et al., (1995) and Moutoussamy et al., (1998). 

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