Interleukin 21
| Interleukin 21 | |
|---|---|
| Identifiers | |
| Symbol | IL21 |
| Alt. symbols | , |
| Entrez | 59067 |
| HUGO | 6005 |
| OMIM | 605384 |
| RefSeq | NM_021803 |
| UniProt | Q9HBE4 |
| Other data | |
| Locus | Chr. 4 q26-q27 |
Overview
Interleukin 21 (IL-21), is a cytokine that has potent regulatory effects on cells of the immune system, including natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T cells that can destroy virally infected or cancerous cells. [1][2] This cytokine induces cell division/proliferation in its target cells. IL-21 elicits its effects on immune cells by interacting with a cell surface receptor known as the interleukin 21 receptor, IL-21R, that is expressed in bone marrow cells and various lymphocytes.
References
- ↑ Parrish-Novak J., S. R. Dillon, et al. Interleukin 21 and its receptor are involved in NK cell expansion and regulation of lymphocyte function. Nature, 2000, Volume 408, pages 57-63.
- ↑ Parrish-Novak J, Foster DC, Holly RD, Clegg CH. Interleukin 21 and IL21 Receptor: Novel effectors of NK and T cell responses. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 2002, Volume 72, pages 856-863.