CBSE · Class 12 · Biology · Human Health and DiseasesWhat are Interferons? Explain their biological significance in viral protection.

Interferons are a group of specialized signaling proteins or glycoproteins secreted by virus-infected cells in response to a viral infection. They belong to the cytokine barrier category of innate immunity. When a cell gets infected by a virus, it releases interferons to alert the surrounding uninfected healthy cells. These interferons stimulate the adjacent cells to produce antiviral proteins that inhibit viral replication and protein synthesis within them, thereby protecting non-infected cells from further viral invasion and spread throughout the host tissue.