pyrogen

Introduction

A substance which induces fever. The most common mechanism for induction of fever is the elaboration of endogenous pyrogen(s) by monocytes & tissue macrophages through resetting of the hypothalamic thermoregulatory center. Since IL-6 is one of the few cytokines that reaches measurable concentrations in the blood & crosses the blood brain barrier, it may be the most important endogenous pyrogen.

More specific terms

• interleukin-1; lymphocyte-activating factor (IL1)
• interleukin-6; IL-6; B-cell stimulatory factor 2; BSF-2; CTL differentiation factor; CDF; hybridoma growth factor; interferon beta-2; IFN-beta-2 (IL6, IFNB2)
• tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha; tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 2; cachectin (TNF, TNFA, TNFSF2)

Additional terms

• fever