FERRITINE Meaning and
Definition
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Ferritin is a protein complex that stores iron in the body and is primarily found in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. It plays a crucial role in maintaining iron balance in cells, as it binds to excess iron and releases it when needed.
Functioning as an iron reservoir, ferritin protects cells from iron toxicity and prevents the formation of harmful free radicals through iron oxidation. It achieves this by encapsulating iron in a mineralized form within its spherical shell structure, composed of light (L) and heavy (H) protein subunits. The ferritin complex consists of 24 subunits arranged to form a hollow center where iron can be stored safely. Each ferritin molecule can store up to 4,500 iron atoms.
Ferritin levels in the blood are often measured as an indicator of iron stores in the body. Lower ferritin levels may indicate iron deficiency, while higher levels can suggest iron overload disorders such as hemochromatosis. A decrease in ferritin can be associated with symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and decreased immunity, whereas an increase may lead to organ damage due to excessive iron deposition.
Understanding ferritin is critical in diagnosing and managing iron-related disorders and guiding iron supplementation therapy. It serves as an essential biomarker in evaluating iron stores and assessing the efficiency of iron metabolism.
Common Misspellings for FERRITINE
- derritine
- cerritine
- verritine
- gerritine
- territine
- rerritine
- fwrritine
- fsrritine
- fdrritine
- frrritine
- f4rritine
- f3rritine
- feeritine
- fedritine
- fefritine
- fetritine
- fe5ritine
- fe4ritine
- fereitine
- ferditine
Etymology of FERRITINE
The word "ferritine" is derived from the Latin term "ferrum", meaning "iron". "Ferritine" refers to a globular protein that stores and releases iron in organisms. The name appropriately reflects its role in iron metabolism.
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