Ccl2 - chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2

This gene is one of several cytokine genes clustered on chromosome 11. Chemokines are a superfamily of secreted proteins involved in immunoregulatory and inflammatory processes. The superfamily is divided into four subfamilies based on the arrangement of N-terminal cysteine residues of the mature peptide. This chemokine is a member of the CC subfamily which is characterized by two adjacent cysteine residues. This cytokine displays chemotactic activity for monocytes and memory T cells but not for neutrophils. The human ortholog has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diseases characterized by monocytic infiltrates, such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and atherosclerosis. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2015]