Each interleukin generally has many effects on different cell types. The same interleukin often also has a different spectrum of effects in different animals. Click for a list of companies offering interleukins from different species . Many interferons are still commercially produced from B lymphocytes, but companies such as PBL Biomedical Laboratories produce recombinant IFNs from cloned genes expressed in Escherichia coli . IFN- b , also known as fibroblast interferon, has several research uses.
Many interferons have large-scale commercial applications as therapeutic agents.
The array contains segments of 375 different genes encoding cytokines, chemokines, and immunomodulators spotted in pairs on a charged nylon membrane. Each 10 ng DNA spot is a PCR product from an appropriate cDNA clone that has been sequence verified. Using the cytokine array is as simple as performing a conventional Southern or northern blot. Total RNA or mRNA is isolated from a tissue or cell culture of interest. Radiolabeled cDNA is then made from this RNA preparation and hybridized to the gene array.