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alpha-fetoprotein; alpha-1-fetoprotein; alpha-fetoglobulin (AFP HPAFP)

Function: - binds copper, nickel, & fatty acids as well albumin. - binds bilirubin less well than albumin - < 2% of the human AFP binds estrogen - may be fetal counterpart of albumin. Structure: - sulfated - dimeric & trimeric forms have been found in addition to the monomeric form - belongs to the ALB/AFP/VDB family - contains 3 albumin domains Compartment: secreted Expression: - expressed by fetal liver & yolk sac & secreted into plasma - occurs in the plasma of fetuses more than 4 weeks old, reaches highest levels during the 12th-16th week of gestation, & drops to trace amounts after birth - serum level in adults is usually less than 40 ng/ml Pathology: - AFP occurs also at high levels in the plasma & ascitic fluid of adults with hepatoma & hepatocellular carcinoma

Related

alpha-1-fetoprotein (AFP) in serum/plasma

General

alpha 1 globulin fetal protein glycoprotein tumor marker

Properties

COMPARTMENT: plasma SIZE: entity length = 609 aa MW = 69 kD MOTIF: signal sequence {1-18} Albumin 1 {19-210} MOTIF: copper [Cu]-binding site SITE: 22-22 MOTIF: histidine residue (3) cysteine residue {C99} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C114} cysteine residue {C113} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C124} cysteine residue {C114} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C99} cysteine residue {C124} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C113} cysteine residue {C148} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C193} cysteine residue {C192} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C201} cysteine residue {C193} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C148} cysteine residue {C201} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C192} Albumin 2 {211-402} MOTIF: cysteine residue {C224} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C270} N-glycosylation site {N251} cysteine residue {C269} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C277} cysteine residue {C270} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C224} cysteine residue {C277} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C269} cysteine residue {C289} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C303} cysteine residue {C302} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C313} cysteine residue {C303} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C289} cysteine residue {C313} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C302} cysteine residue {C384} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C393} cysteine residue {C393} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C384} Albumin 3 {403-601} MOTIF: cysteine residue {C416} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C462} cysteine residue {C461} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C472} cysteine residue {C462} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C416} cysteine residue {C472} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C461} cysteine residue {C485} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C501} cysteine residue {C500} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C511} cysteine residue {C501} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C485} cysteine residue {C511} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C500} cysteine residue {C538} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C583} cysteine residue {C582} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C591} cysteine residue {C583} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C538} cysteine residue {C591} MODIFICATION: cysteine residue {C582}

Database Correlations

OMIM 104150 UniProt P02771 Pfam PF00273 Entrez Gene 174 Kegg hsa:174

References

  1. Tietz Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry 3rd ed, WB Saunders, 1987 pg 331
  2. OMIM :accession 104150
  3. Clinical Guide to Laboratory Tests, 3rd ed. Teitz ed., W.B. Saunders, 1995
  4. UniProt :accession P02771
  5. Wikipedia; Note: alpha-fetoprotein entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/alpha-fetoprotein