IL-1β is a pro-inflammatory cytokine produced in a variety of cells including monocytes, tissue macrophages, keratinocytes and other epithelial cells. Both IL-1α and IL-1β binds to the same receptor and has similar if not identical biological properties. These cytokines have a broad…

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) are proteins that bind to and inhibit the activity of CDKs. Two major classes of CDK inhibitors have been identified. The p16 family (p15, p16, p18 and p19) binds to and inhibits the activities of CDK4 and CDK

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) is a member of the IL-1 family. Endogenous IL-1ra is produced in numerous animal disease models as well as in human autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. It binds to IL-1 receptors in competition with IL-1, but does not elicit intracellular…

Mouse CXCL16 (CXC chemokine 16) is a nonELR motifcontaining CXC chemokine with a transmembrane domain. CX3CL1/Fractalkine and CXCL16 are the only two transmembrane chemokines within the  superfamily. Mouse

GM-CSF was initially characterized as a growth factor that can support the in vitro colony formation of granulocyte-macrophage progenitors. It is produced by a number of different cell types (including activated T cells, B cells, macrophages, mast cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts) in…

Human BMP-7 is one of at least 15 structurally and functionally related BMPs, which are members of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily. BMPs were originally identified as protein regulators of cartilage and bone formation. However, they havesince been shown to be involved…

IL-3 is a hematopoietic growth factor that promotes the survival, differentiation and proliferation of committed progenitor cells of the megakaryocyte, granulocyte-macrophage, erythroid, eosinophil, basophil and mast cell lineages. Produced by T cells, mast cells and eosinophils, IL-3 enhances…

CD40 ligand, CD40L (also known as CD154, TRAP or gp39), is a 261 amino acid type II transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the TNF family, CD40L is expressed predominantly on activated CD4+ T lymphocytes, and also found in other types of cells, like NK cells, mast cells, basophils and eosinophils.…

Interleukin 8/CXCL8 was originally discovered and purified independently by a number of laboratories as a neutrophil chemotactic and activating factor. It was also referred to as neutrophil chemotactic factor (NCF), neutrophil activating protein (NAP), monocytederived neutrophil chemotactic factor…

Interleukin 3 is a pleiotropic factor produced primarily by activated T cells that can stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells as well as various lineage committed progenitors. In addition, IL-3 also affects the functional activity of mature mast…

EGF was originally discovered in crude preparations of nerve growth factor prepared from mouse submaxillary glands as an activity that induced early eyelid opening, incisor eruption, hair growth inhibition, and stunting of growth when injected into newborn mice. EGF is a potent growth factor that…

Noggin belongs to a group of diffusible proteins which bind to ligands of the TGF-β family and regulate their activity by inhibiting their access to signaling receptors. Noggin was originally identified as a BMP-4 antagonist whose action is critical for proper formation of the head and other…

Defensins (alpha and beta) are cationic peptides with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity that comprise an important arm of the innate immune system. The α-defensins are distinguished from the β-defensins by the pairing of their three disulfide bonds. To date, four human…

The three GRO cDNAs encode 107 amino acid precursor proteins from which the N-terminal 34 amino acid residues are cleaved to generate the mature GROs. There are no potential N-linked glycosylation sites in the amino acid sequences. GRO expression is inducible by serum or PDGF and/or by a variety of…

Flt-3 ligand (FL) is a recently identified hematopoietic cytokine whose activities are mediated by binding to the transmembrane glycoprotein Flt-3. Flt-3 was first discovered as a member of the class III subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) whose expression among hematopoietic cells was…

Human BMP-4 is one of at least 15 structurally and functionally related BMPs, which are members of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily. BMPs were originally identified as protein regulators of cartilage and bone formation. However, they havesince been shown to be involved…

IL-1 alpha is a non-secreted proinflammatory cytokine produced in a variety of cells including monocytes, tissue macrophages, keratinocytes and other epithelial cells. Both IL-1alpha and IL-1beta binds to the same receptor and has similar if not identical biological properties. These cytokines have…