Evan T. Keller^1,2,3, Jon Wanagat¹, W.B. Ershler^1,3

¹Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Departments of ²Pathology and ³Internal Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Received 10/21/96; Accepted 11/01/96; On-line //96

2. INTRODUCTION

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) contributes to a myriad of physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. Because of the large scope of its effects, the cellular and molecular biology of IL-6 has been explored by a variety of investigators representing a great number of basic biological and medical fields. In this review, we will describe the cellular and molecular biology of IL-6 and its receptor, delineate sources and targets of IL-6 and the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), and correlate the basic biology of IL-6 with its role in pathophysiology.