Tumor necrosis factors
Tumor Necrosis Factors
Tumor necrosis factors (TNF, pronounced: TOO-mor ne-KRO-sis FAK-tors) are a group of cytokines, which are proteins that the immune system uses for cell signaling. They are named for their ability to cause the death (necrosis) of tumor cells.
Etymology
The term "tumor necrosis factor" was coined in 1975 by researchers Lloyd J. Old and Elizabeth Carswell. The term is derived from the Latin tumor meaning "swelling", necrosis meaning "death", and factor meaning "maker".
Function
TNFs are produced by a variety of cells, but primarily by macrophages, in response to infection, inflammation, and other stimuli. They play a key role in the regulation of immune cells and the inflammatory response, and can also induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in certain cells.
Types
There are two main types of TNFs: TNF-alpha and TNF-beta.
- TNF-alpha is the most well-studied and is involved in systemic inflammation and is a member of a group of cytokines that stimulate the acute phase reaction.
- TNF-beta, also known as lymphotoxin-alpha (LT-alpha), is secreted by lymphocytes and is involved in the immune response.
Related Terms
- Cytokine - A type of protein that is used by the immune system for cell signaling.
- Macrophage - A type of white blood cell that engulfs and digests cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, and cancer cells.
- Apoptosis - The process of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms.
- Inflammation - A protective response involving immune cells, blood vessels, and molecular mediators to remove harmful stimuli.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Tumor necrosis factors
- Wikipedia's article - Tumor necrosis factors
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