Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 3, 2026

High-throughput Quantitative Real-time RT-PCR Assay for Determining Expression Profiles of Types I and III Interferon Subtypes
Published on: March 24, 2015
Too much of a good thing: Detrimental effects of interferon
1Stony Brook University, Dept Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, 11796 Stony Brook, NY, USA.
Abstract:
Healthy tissues of the body express relatively low basal levels of interferons. However, following detection of microbial invasion by sentinel receptors, a cascade of events initiates leading to the transcriptional induction of interferon genes. Interferons are secreted and act primarily as paracrine cytokines to bind neighboring cell surface receptors. Binding to interferon receptors activates a signal pathway to the nucleus inducing a set of interferon-stimulated genes. The biological activity of these genes confers the unique antiviral and innate immune response of interferons. The rapid induction of interferons is critical to survival, and equally critical is the recovery from this defensive state. Either an aberrant response to infection or an inherited genetic disorder that leads to sustained or increased interferon levels can tip the balance towards pathogenesis.
More Related Videos
09:11Zika Virus Infectious Cell Culture System and the In Vitro Prophylactic Effect of Interferons
Published on: August 23, 2016
08:26Development and Validation of an Ultrasensitive Single Molecule Array Digital Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay for Human Interferon-α
Published on: June 14, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Pharmacokinetics: Drug–Food and Drug–Viral Interactions
Antimicrobial Proteins
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
Immunodeficiency Diseases
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency...
Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Active Drug, Metabolite and Fraction of Metabolized Drug