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spinqualitylabelsall models Crystal Structure of Human Ferritin Show:Asymmetric Unit Biological Assembly Drag the structure with the mouse to rotate   Export Animated Image

Ferritin

Function

The primary function of ferritin is it acts as an iron storage mechanism and is used for iron homeostasis. Another reason for the amount of ferritin in the blood is how it's stored and how well the protein is transcribed. Ferritin is found in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes; nearly all living things produce ferritin within the bloodstream to keep iron. As iron storage is precious to living species, it is vital to conserve the protein. Another function is that it makes iron available for critical cellular processes as it protects lipids, DNA, and other proteins from the toxic effects of iron. Although ferritin is widely known for storing and releasing iron within the bloodstream, it can also keep and release other metal ions. The protein is capable of binding beryllium, zinc, aluminum, and copper.

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