Chemokines

Chemokines are a family of structurally related cytokines with four cysteines at their well-conserved positions. Most chemokines are secreted proteins with a molecular weight about 10. kDa and their α helix structure at carboxyl-terminal portion is responsible for preferential binding to proteoglycans on the vascular endothelial cells and to extracellular matrix proteins. Chemokine receptors comprise a large branch of the rhodopsin family of cell-surface G-protein-coupled receptors with seven-transmembrane domains. Chemokines bind their corresponding receptors, thereby modulating the movement and functions of their target cells, particularly leukocyte trafficking, under physiological and pathological conditions. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.[Book Chapter