Ferritin

Ferritin, molecular weight 450 000, is iron storage protein containing 24 units of 2 different subunits at various ratios. It contains 4 500 iron atoms in a molecule. Ferritin exist in spleen, liver, red marrow, small intestinal mucosa and muscle, and involve in iron metabolism of inner or outer cellular. Ferritin is a source of supply for metallic iron, and has a role to store iron, which catalyzes the hydroxy-radical synthesize reaction, into core of protein molecule. Determination of ferritin in serum is useful for diagnostic of disorder in iron metabolism, hepatic disease and malignant tumor.