Detection of Cytokines by Immunohistochemistry

Cytokines belong to a family of immunoregulatory peptide growth factors that are produced mainly by immune cells after immune challenge. Various cells of nonimmune cell origin such as epithelial and muscle cells are also capable of producing cytokines, as well as many tumor cells (1 , 2 ). We have recently demonstrated that sperm cells are capable of producing interleukin-1 (IL-1) (3 ). The autocrine and paracrine effects excerted by cytokines may therefore play an important role, not only in physiologic processes but also in pathophysiologic situations. The cytokine family includes interleukins (IL-1-IL-18), colony-stimulating factors (macrophage-colony-stimulating factor [M-CSF], granulocyte-CSF [G-CSF], granulocyte macrophage-CSF [GM-CSF]), tumor necrosis factors (TNF-α and -β3), interferons (IFN-α, -β, and -γ), transforming growth factor families (TGF-α and -β), activin, inhibin, chemotactic factors, and epidermal, fibroblast, insulin-like, nerve, and platelet-derived growth factors.