Question: what is an interferons

Natt Day answered on 20 Jun 2015:

Interferons are small signalling proteins that are released by cells when they become infected with a virus, bacteria, parasite. Interferons have also seen to be released by some cells when they become cancerous.

The released Interferons are able to bind to Interferon Receptor on other cells, which warns them that there is something wrong in the system. This leads to the cells changing themselves to exert a protective effect. Often the Interferons trigger cells to become antiviral– meaning the risk of them becoming infected by viruses/bacteria/parasites is lower. It is also seen that Interferons can make cells stop growing and replicating– which helps stop tumour growth in some cancers.