alpha-fetoprotein; alpha-1-fetoprotein; alpha-fetoglobulin (AFP HPAFP)

Function

• binds copper, nickel, & fatty acids as well albumin.
• binds bilirubin less well than albumin
• < 2% of the human AFP binds estrogen
• may be fetal counterpart of albumin.

Structure

• sulfated
• dimeric & trimeric forms have been found in addition to the monomeric form
• belongs to the ALB/AFP/VDB family
• contains 3 albumin domains

Compartment

secreted

Expression

• expressed by fetal liver & yolk sac & secreted into plasma
• occurs in the plasma of fetuses more than 4 weeks old, reaches highest levels during the 12th-16th week of gestation, & drops to trace amounts after birth
• serum level in adults is usually less than 40 ng/ml

Pathology

• AFP occurs also at high levels in the plasma & ascitic fluid of adults with hepatoma & hepatocellular carcinoma

More general terms

• alpha 1 globulin
• glycoprotein
• fetal protein
• tumor marker

Additional terms

• alpha-1-fetoprotein (AFP) in serum/plasma

Database

• Entrez gene: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=gene&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Graphics&list_uids=174
• Kegg: http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?hsa:174
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/104150
• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P02771.html