Cytokines are compounds that resemble hormones, and normally foster communication between cells.
Researchers at the University of Kentucky General Clinical Research Center are studying the reasons why some individuals who consume excessive alcohol develop potentially fatal liver damage. In clinical studies, scientists are uncovering the actions of cytokines in many diseases. Cytokines are compounds that resemble hormones, and normally foster communication between cells. The white blood cells of patients with severe liver disease appear to use similar processes on liver cells, such that the body injures its own liver. Researchers have found that elimination of alcohol consumption does not immediately stop the process.