Introduction to Section III: Humoral Factors in Immunity: Cytokines, Interferons and Interleukins

Abstract

A subject that has become very popular in cell biology, immunology and medical practice is that of the cytokines. Cytokines represent a group of substances that have much in common with peptide hormones. The distinction with hormones lies in the fact that cytokines carry short-range messages from cell to cell, while hormones more often carry long-range signals from one organ to another. Interferon can be considered as the prototype of cytokines. Professor P. De Somer has fostered a keen interest in interferon research ever since interferon was discovered in 1957. His interest was mainly based on the belief that interferon would once become a successful antiviral drug in medicine. If sometimes he was sceptic, it was simply because his personal way of probing his belief prompted him to interrogate his fellow scientists on their beliefs or disbeliefs in interferon.