 Hi everybody, Dr. O. In this short video, we're going to talk about interferons. So the key things to note here are interferons are antiviral. They're going to slow the replication of viruses to slow the progression of viral infections. Notice I keep saying the word slow. They don't kill anything. So these do not kill viruses. They do not kill virus infected cells. They slow viral replication. Let's see how they do so. So they actually produce multiple different types of interferons. We have what are called the type one interferons are interferon alpha and beta. Their job is to signal their neighboring cells. This cell on the left is already a goner. It's already been taken over by a virus. It's trying to slow the progression of the virus to neighboring cells. So what it's doing here, these first two types of interferons are going to tell neighboring cells to destroy RNA, to slow down protein synthesis. What they're trying to do is to keep that virus that is, has turning these new cells into manufacturing plants is trying to slow the replication of new viruses. So the cell on the left is already a goner. The cells that are already infected with viruses are probably already goners too. You're just going to slow the replication of the virus. That's what interferon alpha is going to do. And then in the beta is going to signal these neighboring cells to undergo apoptosis. Another term you're going to hear several times in these videos, apoptosis is directed cell suicide. So telling these newly infected cells to kill themselves before they become a virus manufacturing plant. So that's going to be the type one interferons, alpha and beta. Interferon gamma is going to send out these cytokines chemical messengers to the surrounding area to activate the immune system and to call it in to control the actual infection and potentially kill these virus infected cells. So interferon, just remember, a virus infected cells going to release them into the environment to slow the spread and progression of the viral infection. By asking neighboring cells to kill themselves, by asking neighboring cells to slow the replication of proteins, to slow viral replication, and then lastly, calling in the immune system to help mop up the mess. Okay, that's interferons. I hope that helps. Have a wonderful day. Be blessed.