Cytokines in health and disease.

Cytokines are cellular regulators of non-immunoglobulin character. The studies of interferon, a representative cytokine, support the view that cytokines are information molecules forming a network in the animal organism. Their main task is to protect the homeostasis of the organism. This may be disturbed both by external and internal causes. The results of the studies of interferon appearing in patients with systems lupus erythematosus do not support the assumption that interferons of this type may play a role in aetiology of autoimmune diseases.