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Rat Interferon gamma
Rat Interferon gamma (INF-¥ã), also known as immune interferon, is a ~15 kDa protein of 137 amino acids (aa) after cleavage of a 19 aa signal peptide. It is presumed that Rat IFN-¥ã is a noncovalent homodimer. INF-g is the only member of the Type II class of interferons. It is produced by activated T, B and NK cells and is an important regulatory cytokine. IFN-¥ã plays a key role in host defense as it has antiviral, immunoregulatory, and anti-tumor properties. IFN-¥ã induces the production of cytokines and up-regulates the expression of various membrane proteins including class I and II MHC antigens, Fc receptors, leukocyte adhesion molecules, and B7 antigen. In the mature segment, rat IFN-¥ã is 87% identical to mouse IFN-g and 40% identical to human IFN-¥ã.
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