Cytokines in Context

• Published in: The Journal of cell biology Vol. 113; no. 5; pp. 981 - 986
• Main Authors: Nathan, Carl, Sporn, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Rockefeller University Press 01-06-1991; The Rockefeller University Press
• Subjects: Analysis of the immune response. Humoral and cellular immunity; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Adhesion; Cell Adhesion Molecules - physiology; Cell Communication; Cell growth; Cells; Cytokines; Cytokines - physiology; Endothelial cells; Extracellular Matrix - physiology; Fibroblast growth factors; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Immunobiology; Integrins; Macrophages; Mini-Review; Mini-Reviews; Neutrophils; Receptors; Signal Transduction; Space life sciences; T lymphocytes; Membrane receptor; Regulation(control); Cytokine; Molecular interaction; Extracellular matrix; Review; Mechanism of action; Adhesion
• ISSN: 0021-9525; 1540-8140
• DOI: 10.1083/jcb.113.5.981

In the last ten years, an avalanche of new information has flattened much of the conceptual framework erected in the first three decades of cytokine research. This article briefly reviews the concepts that collapsed, then attempts to begin replacing them. We see cytokines as specialized symbols in a language of intercellular communication, whose meaning is controlled by context. To illustrate control by context, we summarize new evidence that the response of cells to cytokines can be markedly affected by the extracellular matrix in which most cells are normally embedded.