[New prospects for chemokines].

Chemokines are small secreted proteins belonging to the cytokine family which were initially discovered for their chemoattractant properties for immune cells. Recently it was shown that chemokines and their G-protein-coupled receptors can be constitutively expressed or induced in several organs and different cell types. Thus chemokines have been shown to regulate immune functions involving infection and inflammation, stem cell migration during development, to be implicated in oncogenic, neovascularization and atherosclerosis processes, to modulate neuronal excitability regulating neurotransmitter release, and to play a key role in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease or age-related-macular degeneration and in pain. Some of these recent advances concerning chemokine functions will be highlighted in this broad appeal symposium which aims to introduce this emerging field. This introductory chapter will examine the basic properties of the various chemokine systems and their receptors. © Société de Biologie, 2011.