Interleukin-6 and related cytokines: effect on the acute phase reaction.

The acute phase response is the answer of the organism to disturbances of its physiological homeostasis. It consists of a local and a systemic reaction. The latter is characterized by dramatic changes in the concentration of some plasma proteins called acute phase proteins. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been identified in vitro and in vivo as the major hepatocyte stimulating factor. Subsequently, additional hepatocyte stimulating factors, such as...