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 broad group of soluble proteins. These cytokines, or this broad group of soluble proteins, are important for communication, and they serve as communication signals between cells. Cytokines are capable of regulating the intensity and duration of an immune response. They can do so by recruiting cells, for example, recruiting phagocytic cells. The cytokines themselves can also bind to a cell and induce many different cellular changes, such as movement of the cell either towards the signal or away from the signal, differentiation of the cell into a different type of cell, or it could even induce cell death. There are many different types of cytokines, and the different types of cytokines can lead to different changes, different cellular changes. So different types of cytokines can induce different effects on a cell when that cytokine is bound to the cell.

If we take a look at our image down below on the left hand side, notice once again we're showing you our map of the lesson on the scanning systems of innate immunity, which serve to detect signs of microbes and detect signs of host damage, and they serve as security cameras. We're focusing specifically on cell communication and focusing specifically on the cytokines here in this lesson video. The cytokines, again, are a broad group of many different types of soluble proteins that serve as communication signals between cells. Notice that over here, we have one cell that is producing or releasing the cytokines. These little purple circles here would represent the cytokines that are being released by one cell, and they serve as communication signals that can be detected by perhaps a neighboring cell that has the appropriate cell surface receptors. Notice that the cell surface receptors for this particular cytokine being released are these little blue receptors that you see here. The detection of a cytokine can lead to a variety of different cellular changes, perhaps movement, differentiation, or even cell death depending on the type of cytokine. But ultimately, a cellular response will be generated upon the cytokine being detected. This here concludes our brief introduction to cytokines, but as we move forward in our course we'll be able to talk more about cytokines and different types of cytokines. I'll see you all in our next video.