Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 12 (CCL12) is a small
cytokine belonging to the CC
chemokine family that has been described in mice. It is also known as monocyte chemotactic protein 5 (MCP-5) and, due to its similarity with the human chemokine
MCP-1, sometimes it is called MCP-1-related chemokine. CCL12 specifically attracts
eosinophils,
monocytes and
lymphocytes.[2] This chemokine is found predominantly in
lymph nodes and
thymus under normal conditions, and its expression can be hugely induced in macrophages.[2][3] It is thought to coordinate cell movements during early
allergic reactions, and
immune response to pathogens. The
gene for CCL12 is found in a cluster of CC chemokines on mouse
chromosome 11.[3]
References
^"Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.