Open AccessTransferrin receptors in rat plasma.
Author(s) -
Yves Béguin,
Helmut A. Huebers,
Betty Josephson,
C. A. Finch
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.85.2.637
Subject(s) - receptor , transferrin receptor , transferrin , erythropoiesis , biology , endocrinology , medicine , cell surface receptor , inflammation , chemistry , biochemistry , immunology , anemia
Antigenic material in rat plasma reacting with rat transferrin receptor antibodies was identified as an intact receptor molecule complexed with transferrin. Plasma transferrin receptors were measured by ELISA in rats of different age and sex, of different iron status, with different degrees of erythropoiesis, and with inflammation. An inverse relationship between iron status and receptor number was found, whereas a direct relationship existed between erythropoiesis and receptors. These changes in receptor number can be explained by assuming that the number of tissue receptors determined the number of plasma receptors and that the erythroid cells possessed most of the body's receptors. Increases in plasma receptors lagged behind the appearance of circulating reticulocytes, suggesting that receptors were released to the plasma during the terminal phase of erythrocyte maturation.