Alkor Bio, Ltd.

Ferritin is an intracellular protein. It makes soluble iron pool that is necessary for successful erythropoesis. At the same time ferritin protects the organism from the toxic effect of iron (connected with catalysis of free radicals production). 

Ferritin molecule consists of iron-containing core and protein shell (apoferritin) with a molecular weight of about 450 kDa. Apoferritin consists of 24 subunits of «light»(L) and «heavy»(H) types. Each ferritin molecule can bind up to 4500 iron atoms in hydroxide and phosphate complexes. 

Ferritin is located mainly in spleen, liver and red bone marrow cells; in small quantities it is also present in plasma. Ferritin concentration in plasma usually permits to estimate total iron reserve in the organism adequately. 

Ferritin concentration at the moment of birth is high (up to 600 ng/ml). In the first months of life it falls and remains at the level of about 30 ng/ml till pubescence. Then ferritin concentration slowly begins to grow, the level reached at the age of 24–25 remains for life. Normal concentration of ferritin in serum is 50–250 ng/ ml for men and 20–150 ng/ml for women. 

Ferritin concentrations below 10 ng/ml is a sign of asiderotic anemia. This parameter permits successfully differentiate asiderotic anemia from another types of anemia. Measurement of serum ferritin is also useful for monitoring of iron reserve in pregnant women, donors and patients subjected to regular hemodialysis. In the case of iron overloading ferritin concentration exceeds 400–500 ng/ml. It may reach several thousands ng/ml in the case of distinct hemochromathosis. 

Concentration of serum ferritin increases in the case of infection, inflammatory processes (such as osteomielitis and rheumatoid arthritis), acute and chronic liver disorders, leukemia, Hodgkin disease, breast cancer and some other oncopathologies. EIA-Ferritin kit is intended for the quantitative determination of ferritin in human serum.