ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Interleukin

Interleukin is a big word that means something very important in our bodies. It's like a messenger that helps different parts of our body talk to each other. Just like how we talk to our friends to make plans, interleukin helps our immune system talk to our other organs to keep us healthy.

When we get sick, our body sends out interleukins to start a fight against germs like bugs or viruses. The interleukins help the good cells in our body like white blood cells know that there's a bad guy they need to fight. It's kind of like when you tell your friends there's a bully at school that needs to be stopped.

Interleukins are also helpful when it comes to healing. When we get a cut or a scrape, our body sends out interleukins to the spot that's hurt to help it heal. It's like if you have a scab on your knee, your body sends out interleukins to tell the skin cells to make new skin to fix the scab.

So, even though interleukin is a big word, it's actually something that helps keep us healthy and feeling good. Kind of like a superhero for our body!