Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 22, 2025

Rescue of Recombinant Newcastle Disease Virus from cDNA
Published on: October 11, 2013
Interfering with SARS-CoV-2: are interferons friends or foes in COVID-19?
1Harvard Medical School, and Division of Immunology, Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children's Hospital, United States.
Abstract:
Type I and type III interferons are among the most potent anti-viral cytokines produced by the immune system. The recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, underscores the vital role of these cytokines in controlling the virus and dictating disease severity. Here we delineate the pathways that lead to interferon production in response to SARS-CoV-2 encounter, and elucidate how this virus hinders the production and action of these cytokines; we also highlight that these interferon families serve protective as well as detrimental roles in patients with COVID-19, and conclude that a better understanding of the time, dose, localization, and activity of specific members of the interferon families is imperative for designing more efficient therapeutic interventions against this disease.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the...
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...
Antimicrobial Proteins
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Experimental RNAi
Controls in Experiments
Viruses with RNA Genomes

