Transferrin

Transferrin
A plasma protein that transports iron through the blood to the liver, spleen and bone marrow. The blood transferrin level is tested for diverse reasons: to determine the cause of anemia, to examine iron metabolism (for example, in iron deficiency anemia) and to determine the iron-carrying capacity of the blood. Low transferrin can impair hemoglobin production (since to make hemoglobin, you have to have iron) and so lead to anemia. Low transferrin can be due to poor production of transferrin by the liver (where it's made) or excessive loss of transferrin through the kidneys into the urine. Many conditions including infection and malignancy can depress transferrin levels. The transferrin is abnormally high in iron deficiency anemia. The gene for transferrin is in chromosome band 3q21. Hereditary absence of transferrin is called atransferrinemia. It is characterized by anemia and hemosiderosis (iron deposition) in the heart and liver. The iron damage to the heart can lead to heart failure. The anemia is typically microcytic and hypochromic (the red blood cells are abnormally small and pale). The disease is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. It is due to mutation of both of a person's transferrin genes. Atransferrinemia can be effectively treated by plasma infusions of transferrin.
* * *
1. A nonheme β1-globulin of the plasma, capable of associating reversibly with up to 1.25 μg of iron per gram, and acting therefore as an iron-transporting protein. 2. A glycoprotein, found in mammalian milk (lactoferrin) and egg white (conalbumin, ovotransferrin), that binds and transports iron (Fe3+). [trans- + L. ferrum, iron, + -ia]

* * *

trans·fer·rin tran(t)s-'fer-ən n a beta globulin in blood plasma capable of combining with ferric ions and transporting iron in the body called also siderophilin

* * *

n.
a glycoprotein, found in the blood plasma, that is capable of binding iron and thus acts as a carrier for iron in the bloodstream.

* * *

trans·fer·rin (trans-ferґin) [trans- + ferrum + -in chemical suffix] a nonheme serum glycoprotein of molecular weight 79,500, which binds and transports iron; most is produced in the liver. A similar substance called apoferritin is produced in the small intestine. Called also siderophilin.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Transferrin — is a blood plasma protein for iron ion delivery. Transferrin is a glycoprotein, which binds iron very tightly but reversibly. Although iron bound to transferrin is less than 0.1% (4 mg) of the total body iron, dynamically it is the most important …   Wikipedia

  • transferrin — transferrin. См. трансферрин. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • transferrin — [trans fer′in] n. [< TRANS + L ferrum, iron (see FERRO ) + IN1] an iron binding, crystalline globulin in blood plasma, that is important as an iron carrier …   English World dictionary

  • Transferrin — Serotransferrin Vorhandene Strukturdaten …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • transferrin — The iron storage protein (80 kD) found in mammalian serum; a b globulin. Binds ferric iron with a Kass of around 21 at pH 7.4, 18.1 at pH 6.6. An important constituent of growth media. Transferrin receptors on the cell surface bind transferrin as …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • transferrin — /trans fer in/, n. Biochem. a plasma glycoprotein that transports dietary iron to the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. [1947; TRANS + L ferr(um) iron + IN2] * * * ▪ chemical compound also called  Siderophilin,         protein (beta1 globulin) in… …   Universalium

  • Transferrin — Trans|fer|rin [↑ trans (2), ↑ Ferri u. ↑ in (3)], das; s, e; Syn.: Serum Transferrin, Siderophilin: ein rotes Nichthäm Eisen Protein (MG 79 600) aus 679 Aminosäuren, ca. 6 % Kohlenhydraten (Glykoprotein) u. 2 Fe(III) Ionen. Im Organismus fungiert …   Universal-Lexikon

  • transferrin — transferinas statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Kraujo plazmos glikoproteinas, pernešantis Fe³⁺. atitikmenys: angl. transferrin rus. трансферрин …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • Transferrin-Rezeptor 2 — Masse/Länge Primärstruktur 801/630/774 Aminosäuren (α/β/γ) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Transferrin saturation — Transferrin saturation, measured as a percentage, is a medical laboratory value. It is the ratio of serum iron and total iron binding capacity, multiplied by 100. For an explanation of some clinical situations in which this ratio is important,… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
https://medicine.en-academic.com/8498/Transferrin Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”