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interferon

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interferons

Main Entry:: in·ter·fer·on
Pronunciation:: \ˌin-tə(r)-ˈfir-ˌän\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: interfere + ²-on
Date:: 1957

: any of a group of heat-stable soluble basic antiviral glycoprotein cytokines of low molecular weight that are produced by cells exposed usually to the action of a virus, sometimes to the action of another intracellular parasite (as a bacterium), or experimentally to the action of some chemicals

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