FERRITIN ELISA

Features

European Union: for in vitro diagnostic use

Rest of the world: for research use only!

The total assay time is less than 1.5 hours

Quantitative determination of ferritin concentration in human serum or plasma

Assay format is 96 wells

Quality Control is ready to use

Calibrators are ready to use

For routine analysis

Research topic

Iron metabolism, Oncology

Summary

Ferritin is a globular protein found mainly in the liver, which can store about 2'250 iron (Fe3+) ions. The ferritin molecule consists of a protein shell (apoferritin) composed of heavy and light subunits, which surrounds a crystalline core containing iron oxide and phosphate. Ferritin is synthesized in the liver, spleen and numerous other body tissues, with major concentrations found in the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and intestinal mucosa The ferritin levels measured have a direct correlation with the total amount of iron stored in the body. If ferritin is high there is iron in excess, which would be excreted in the stool. If ferritin is low there is a risk for lack in iron, which sooner or later could lead to anaemia. In the setting of anaemia, serum ferritin is the most sensitive lab test for iron deficiency anaemia. In contrast, serum ferritin levels are normal or increased in anemia associated with chronic disease. Elevated serum ferritin levels have been observed in acute and chronic liver disease and lymphoid malignancy (leukemia and Hodgkin lymphoma). High serum ferritin levels have also been associated with an elevated risk for myocardial infarction in men. Ferritin is also used as a marker for iron overload disorders, such as haemochromatosis in which the ferritin level may be abnormally raised. Ferritin is an acute-phase reactant, it is often elevated in the course of disease. Free iron is toxic to cells, and the body has an elaborate set of protective mechanisms to bind iron in various tissue compartments. Within cells, iron is stored complexed to protein as ferritin or hemosiderin. Apoferritin binds to free ferrous iron and stores it in the ferric state. Under steady state conditions, the serum ferritin level correlates with total body iron stores; thus, the serum ferritin level is the most convenient laboratory test to estimate iron stores.