Abstract
Transferrin, the unique plasma iron carrier, was discovered thirty years ago [1]. Human transferrin belongs to a class of proteins which assume the same physiological function. Though identical as to this function, human transferrin consists of at least twenty variants as shown off by electrophoretic studies. One of these, transferrin “C”, accounts for 98% of human plasma transferrin, and has an intermediate Electrophoretic mobility. [2]. The recognition of transferrin as the plasma iron carrier answered through a tremendous amount of further experiments one of the most puzzling questions of iron metabolism: how can the complex chemical features of iron agree with the iron fluxs required by the various tissues needing this essential metal? It is indeed well known that iron (Fe3+) is highly insoluble at both physiological pH and oxygen pressure. Since 30 mg of iron are recycled per day, through the metabolism of hemoglobin, in the normal man, there is a clear-cut evidence for a mandatory iron carrier.
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© 1978 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Boulard, M. (1978). Transferrin. In: Löhr, GW., et al. Probleme der Erythrozytopoese, Granulozytopoese und des Malignen Melanoms. Hämatologie und Bluttransfusion, vol 21. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-66945-3_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-66945-3_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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