Description
Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 7 (CCL7) is a small cytokine that was previously called monocyte-specific chemokine 3 (MCP-3). Due to CCL7 possessing two adjacent N-terminal cysteine residues in its mature form, it is classified within the subfamily of chemokines known as CC chemokines. CCL7 specifically attracts monocytes, and regulates macrophage function. It is produced by certain tumor cell lines and by macrophages. This chemokine is located on chromosome 17 in humans, within a large cluster containing many other CC chemokines and is most closely related to CCL2. CCL7 can signal through the CCR1, CCR2 and CCR3 receptors.