title: The Function of Fish Cytokines.
abstract: What is known about the biological activity of fish cytokines is reviewed. Most of the functional studies performed to date have been in teleost fish, and have focused on the induced effects of cytokine recombinant proteins, or have used loss- and gain-of-function experiments in zebrafish. Such studies begin to tell us about the role of these molecules in the regulation of fish immune responses and whether they are similar or divergent to the well-characterised functions of mammalian cytokines. This knowledge will aid our ability to determine and modulate the pathways leading to protective immunity, to improve fish health in aquaculture.
authors.affiliation: Scottish Fish Immunology Research Centre, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK. j.j.zou@abdn.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Scottish Fish Immunology Research Centre, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK. c.secombes@abdn.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Secombes
keywords: bioactivity; colony stimulating factors; cytokines; interferons; interleukins; loss- and gain-of-function; recombinant proteins; transforming growth factor-β; tumour necrosis factors