The role of cytokines in periodontal diagnosis

Cytokines-the cell regulators of the immune system take the lead in the pathogenesis of the disease.They exert both destructive as well as protective immune responses locally, and if uncontrolled, cause systemic effects.Periodontitis, a multifactorial disease,occurs by increased bacterial burden,risk factors and altered host response. Cytokines, as valuable markers of tissue breakdown aid in diagnosing periodontal disease status as well as susceptibility to the disease.These signalling molecules can be detected and quantified by immune bioassays thus acting as one of the important advanced diagnostic tools in periodontal diagnosis.