n. a substance produced by lymphocytes that has effects on other cells involved in the immune system (see cytokines). An example is *interleukin 2 (IL-2).
Lymphokines are polypeptides that are produced by lymphocytes (see LYMPHOCYTE) as part of their immune response to an ANTIGEN; their function is to communicate with other cells of the immune system (see IMMUNITY). Some lymphokines stimulate B-cells to di?erentiate into antibody-producing plasma cells; others stimulate T-lymphocytes to proliferate; other lymphokines become interferons (see INTERFERON).... lymphokines
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