Aspects of this topic are discussed in the following places at Britannica.
...then several types have been discovered, each produced by a different type of cell. Alpha interferon is produced by white blood cells other than lymphocytes, beta interferon by fibroblasts, and gamma interferon by lymphocytes. All interferons inhibit viral replication by interfering with the transcription of viral nucleic acid. Interferons exert additional inhibitory effects by regulating...
Interferon-γ may prove useful in treating a different set of diseases—for example, chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Three forms of interferon—alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ)—have been recognized. These interferons have been classified into two types: type I includes the alpha and beta forms, and type II consists of the gamma form. This division is based on the type of cell that produces the interferon and the functional characteristics of the protein. Type...
As discussed in the section Activation of T and B lymphocytes, cell-mediated immunity has two mechanisms. One involves activated helper T cells, which release cytokines. In particular, the gamma interferon produced by helper T cells greatly increases the ability of macrophages to kill ingested microbes; this can tip the balance against microbes that otherwise resist killing. Gamma interferon...
There are three classes of interferons: α-interferons, produced by blood leukocytes; β-interferons, produced by tissue cells and fibroblasts; and γ-interferons (also called immune interferons or interleukins), produced by immune reactions in blood lymphocytes. Interferons are now known to be a subset of a large group of natural cellular substances called cytokines, which signal...
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