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THE MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF ISOLATED AND INTRACELLULAR FERRITIN
Author(s) -
Muir A. R.
Publication year - 1960
Publication title -
quarterly journal of experimental physiology and cognate medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0033-5541
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1960.sp001457
Subject(s) - ferritin , octahedron , crystallography , micelle , molecule , electron microscope , nucleus , chemistry , crystal (programming language) , biophysics , materials science , crystal structure , biochemistry , biology , physics , microbiology and biotechnology , optics , programming language , organic chemistry , aqueous solution , computer science
The ferritin molecule consists of a central nucleus of high iron content, surrounded by a shell of protein approximately spherical in shape. This study with the electron microscope suggests that this iron is stored in six micelles arranged at the corners of a regular octahedron. This structure can be demonstrated in isolated crystallizable ferritin and it permits the identification of single molecules of ferritin in sections of tissues. The implications of an octahedral micellar form are discussed in relation to the shape of the protein coat and the crystal structure.