IL-6 is a cytokine with a wide variety of biological functions: it plays an essential role in the final differentiation of b-cells into ig-secreting cells, it induces myeloma and plasmacytoma growth, it induces nerve cells differentiation, in hepatocytes it induces acute phase reactants Synonyms: IFN-b2, B cell differentiation factor, BCDF, BSF-2, HPGF, HSF, MGI-2, B-cell stimulatory factor 2, Interferon beta-2, Hybridoma growth factor, CTL differentiation factor, CDF, IL-6, HGF