Cytokines, Chemokines and Growth Factors Cytokines, Chemokines
and Growth Factors are proteins which orchestrate cell growth,
cell proliferation and differentiation / maturation. While there
are a great number and variety of these proteins, each is
capable of promoting its own set of biological effects, from
specific to broadly overlapping activities. Cytokines are
secreted proteins that play a role in both the induction and
effector phases of all immune and inflammatory responses,
including cell proliferation, intercellular communication, and
cell death. Chemokines are small cytokines which attract and
recruit other cells into a localized area to exert their
biologic effects. Growth factors include both cytokines and
protein hormones, which stimulate proliferation as well as
differentiation and maturation of responsive cells.