Main Entry: in·ter·fer·on

Pronunciation: \ˌint-ə(r)-ˈfi(ə)r-ˌän\

Function: noun

: any of a group of heat-stable soluble basic antiviral glycoproteins of low molecular weight that are produced usually by cells exposed to the action of a virus, sometimes to the action of another intracellular parasite (as a bacterium), or experimentally to the action of some chemicals, and that include some used medically as antiviral or antineoplastic agents—see alpha interferon, beta interferon, gamma interferon