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Which is NOT a property of interferon?

  • A. Released from infected cells
  • B. Acts extracellularly to inactivate virus
  • C. Coded for by cellular DNA
  • D. Not virus-specific but is cell-specific
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Interferon is a cell-specific protein that is produced and released from infected cells in response to viral infections. It acts extracellularly to interfere with viral replication, not to inactivate the virus itself. Interferon is not coded for by cellular DNA, but by viral RNA during infection. Therefore, the correct answer, D, is that interferon is not virus-specific but is cell-specific. This is because interferon can be produced by various cell types in response to different types of viral infections, making it a broad-spectrum antiviral defense mechanism.