Cytokines and chemokines are small secreted signaling proteins that coordinate communication among immune and non-immune cells and govern the development, magnitude, and resolution of immune responses. Cytokines comprise several functional families, including the interleukins, the interferons that mediate antiviral …
Cytokines and chemokines are small secreted signaling proteins that coordinate communication among immune and non-immune cells and govern the development, magnitude, and resolution of immune responses. Cytokines comprise several functional families, including the interleukins, the interferons that mediate antiviral and immunoregulatory activity, tumor necrosis factor, and the colony-stimulating factors that drive haematopoiesis; acting through specific cell-surface receptors, they orchestrate innate and adaptive immunity, inflammation, cell differentiation, and tissue repair. They operate within interconnected networks in which pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators are balanced; loss of this balance can produce excessive, self-amplifying release described as a cytokine storm, a feature of severe infection and immunopathology. Chemokines form a specialized chemotactic subfamily that, through chemokine receptors, directs the migration and positioning of leukocytes during immune surveillance and inflammation, recruiting cells to sites of infection or injury. The activity of these mediators shapes the trajectory of inflammatory and infectious disease and underlies immune dysregulation. Immunology research frequently examines these molecules and related indices, such as inflammatory biomarkers and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio used as a marker of systemic inflammation. The journal publishes peer-reviewed research relevant to immune signaling, inflammation, and the cellular and molecular mediators that regulate host responses.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 71 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Cytokines and Chemokines, linking to each citing work.