Cytokine signaling network

The immune system helps protect our bodies against kill cells that have already been infected by a pathogen.
pathogens. The first line of defense is the innate immune T cells also use cytokines as messenger molecules to
system, where macrophages or cells like dendritic cells send chemical instructions to the rest of the immune
and neutrophils attack and destroy the invading pathogen. system to ramp up its response. Activating T cells against
The second line of defense is the adaptive immune cancer cells is the premise behind checkpoint inhibitors.
system, where B cells and T cells are deployed in a more CAR T cell therapy is another method in which T cells are
sophisticated attack. These cells use past encounters engineered to attack specific cancer cells.
with specific antigens as memory to recognize threats
and attack when they reappear. B cells make and secrete
antibodies that can lock onto the surface of invading cells
and mark them for destruction by other immune cells.
T cells include two major types: helper T cells stimulate
B cells to make antibodies, and cytotoxic T cells directly
Cytokine signaling network
IFNα IFNγ
IL-18 IFNβ TNFα
IL-32
IL-29
IL-34
IL-1α/β IL-36
IL-6 IL-6
IL-10 Monocyte/ IL-10
IL-12
macrophage
IL-15
TNFα IL-1α/β
IL-10 IL-8
TNFα Neutrophil
TNFβ (LTα) IL-1α/β
IFNα IL-1α/β IL-21
IL-1α/β IL-18 IL-1α/β IFNα
IFNβ IL-3 IFNγ
IL-6 IL-23 IL-3 IFNβ
TNFα IL-4 TNFα
IL-8 IL-27 IL-4 IFNγ
TNFβ (LTα) IL-8 TNFβ (LTα)
IL-10 IFNα IL-10 TNFα IL-17A
IL-12 IFNγ IL-13 TNFβ (LTα)
B IL-15 TNFα IL-31 GM-CSF
lymphocyte

Basophil
IL-1α/β IFNα TNFα
IL-6 IFNβ
IL-10 TNFα IL-1α/β
IL-3
IL-33 IL-4 IL-4
T IL-5
IL-1α/β IL-14 IL-8
IL-2 IL-18 lymphocyte
IL-17A
IL-4 IL-21 IL-17F IL-3
IL-5 IFNα IL-17A/F IL-4
IL-6 IFNβ IL-22 IL-5
IL-1α/β IL-15 IL-10 IFNγ Eosinophil
IL-26
IL-6 IL-18 IL-13
 IL-10 IFNα GM-CSF IL-2 IL-35 IL-14
IL-12 TNFα IL-4 IL-4 IFNα
IFNγ IL-6 IFNβ TNFα IL-10
IL-9 IFNγ
IFNγ IL-16
IL-4
IL-1α/β IL-23 IL-2 IL-25
IL-6 IL-27 IL-18
IL-10 TNFα
IL-18 IFNα IL-3
IL-4 Mast
Dendritic IL-25
IL-15
cell
cell
IL-12 Natural
IL-18 killer cell

IL-22
IL-17A
IL-15 IL-22
IL-4
IL-10

Cell type Function

Dendritic cell Presents antigens to T cells

Mast cell Releases histamines during allergic and inflammatory response

B lymphocyte (B cell) Secretes antibodies against foreign substances

T lymphocyte (T cell) Finds and destroys foreign substances

Monocyte/macrophage Aids in phagocytosis to eliminate foreign substances

Natural killer cell Contains viral infections while T cells work to eliminate them
Granulocytes
White blood cells (leukocytes) characterized by the presence of
- Neutrophil (most abundant)
granules (small particles) containing enzymes that are released
- Basophil (least abundant)
during allergy and infection
- Eosinophil

Find out more at thermofisher.com/immunoassay