Type: | Family | Name: | Interferon alpha |
Description: | Interferon alpha is the first discovered and characterised interferon. Interferons [] are proteins that produce antiviral and antiproliferative responses in cells. On the basis of their sequence interferons are classified into five groups: alpha, alpha-II (or omega), beta, delta (or trophoblast). The sequence differences may possibly cause different responses to various inducers, or result in the recognition of different target cell types []. The main conserved structural feature of interferons is a disulphide bond that, except in mouse beta interferon, occurs in all alpha, beta and omega sequences. | Short Name: | Interferon_alpha |