Chemokines are a superfamily of small, heparin-binding cytokines that induce directed
migration of various types of leukocytes through interactions with a group of seven-
transmembrane G proteincoupled receptors. At present, over 40 members have been
identified in humans. Until a few years ago, chemokines were mainly known as potent
attractants for leukocytes such as neutrophils and monocytes, and were thus mostly
regarded as the mediators of acute and chronic inflammatory responses. They had highly …