The in vivo biology of the novel TGF-b superfamily cytokine, MIC-1

细胞因子是调节细胞间相互作用的荷尔蒙信使。我们发现了一种新的细胞因子，我们将其命名为巨噬细胞抑制因子1(MIC-1)。它属于一个非常重要的蛋白质家族，参与伤口的愈合、发育和炎症。到目前为止，我们的数据表明MIC-1是一种抗炎因子，也与生殖有关，特别是在胎盘的健康方面。为了确定这些预测的准确性，我们希望使用基因技术从老鼠身上删除这种基因。对这种转基因小鼠的研究将为我们提供关于MIC-1最重要作用的大量信息。

Cytokines are hormone like messengers that mediate the interactions between cells. We have discovered a new cytokine that we have named macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC-1). It belongs to a very important familty of proteins that are involved in wound healing, development and inflammation. Our data thus far suggest thatMIC-1 is an antiinflammatory factor that also involved in reproduction, especially in the health of the placenta. To determine the accuracy of these predictions we wish to use genetic techniques to delete this gene from a mouse. Study of this genetically modified mouse will give us a great deal of information on the most important roles of MIC-1.