IFNgamma: issuing macrophages a license to kill.
T cells tell macrophages when to start making the toxic soup of lysosomal enzymes, reactive oxygen species, and nitric oxide that destroys intracellular pathogens. In 1983, Carl Nathan proved that this start signal comes in the form of the secreted cytokine IFNgamma.
Bashyam
Hema
H
hbashyam@rockefeller.edu
D000818:Animals; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000266:history*; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D007371:Interferon-gamma