[Biological properties of cytokines and their role in lung pathology]

In the past decade, cytokines came into focus as important multifunctional mediators regulating cellular functioning and intercellular connections. Particular cytokines may both inhibit and stimulate cells playing an important role in maintaining homeostasis of the normal tissue. In the majority of pathologies not individual cytokines but their complexes are involved. Numerous studies on cytokines are mainly aimed at evaluating the role of the following cytokines in pulmonary diseases: tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and recently interleukin-6 (IL-6). The possible physiologic significance and role of cytokines in lung diseases are surveyed.