UTEROFERRIN - A PROTEIN IN SEARCH OF A FUNCTION Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Uteroferrin, a purplecolored, ironcontaining acid phosphatase, with many of the properties of a lysosomal hydrolase, transports iron from the mother to the conceptus in pregnant pigs. Uteroferrin, however, is but one member of what may be a broad class of ironcontaining phosphatases with unusual spectral properties which result from a novel type of diiron active site. The biological function of uteroferrin is unknown. We argue here that the in vivo function of uteroferrin, despite its undoubted ability to act as a potent acid phosphatase, is that of a transplacental iron transporter. Copyright 1984 Cambridge University Press

published proceedings

  • BIOESSAYS

author list (cited authors)

  • ROBERTS, R. M., & BAZER, F. W.

citation count

  • 32

complete list of authors

  • ROBERTS, RM||BAZER, FW

publication date

  • July 1984

publisher