In this video, we're going to begin our lesson on cytokines and their role in cell communication. Cytokines is a broad term that refers to a group of soluble proteins, and these proteins are important for communication, serving as signals between cells. Cytokines are capable of regulating the intensity and duration of an immune response by actions such as recruiting phagocytic cells. They can also bind to a cell and induce various cellular changes, such as movement towards or away from the signal, differentiation into a different type of cell, or even inducing cell death.

There are many different types of cytokines, each leading to various cellular changes when bound to a cell. If we examine our image on the left-hand side, we're showing our lesson's map focusing on the scanning systems of innate immunity, which detect signs of microbes and host damage, acting like security cameras. This part of the lesson specifically concentrates on cytokines as communication signals between cells.

We observe in the diagram that one cell is producing or releasing cytokines, represented by the little purple circles. These serve as communication signals that may be detected by perhaps a neighboring cell equipped with the appropriate cell surface receptors. The receptors for this specific cytokine being released are depicted by the little blue receptors shown. Detection of a cytokine can lead to a variety of cellular changes, such as movement, differentiation, or even cell death, depending on the type of cytokine. Ultimately, a cellular response is generated upon the detection of the cytokine.

This concludes our brief introduction to cytokines, but as we move forward in our course, we will discuss more about cytokines and the different types they comprise. I'll see you all in our next video.