CXCL17 is a mucosal chemokine elevated in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis that exhibits broad antimicrobial activity.

The mucosal immune network is a crucial barrier preventing pathogens from entering the body. The network of immune cells that mediates the defensive mechanisms in the mucosa is likely shaped by chemokines, which attract a wide range of immune cells to specific sites of the body. Chemokines have been divided into homeostatic or inflammatory depending upon their expression patterns.