Interleukin-6 (IL-6)

IL-6 (20.5 kDa, 184 amino acids) is a multiple functional cytokine and critical to the regulation of the imune and haematopoietic systems. IL-6 induces the expression of acute phase proteins. It is secreted by various cell types, including T cells, B cells, mast cells, monocytes, macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, keratinocytes and many tumor cell lines. Adipocytes, bone marrow stroma cells, mesangial cells and some cell types of the central nervous system also produce IL-6.