Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) Antibody

Descripción

AFP (alpha-fetoprotein), a major plasma protein produced by the yolk sac and the liver during fetal life.Alpha-fetoprotein expression in adults is often associated with hepatoma or teratoma.However, hereditary persistance of alpha-fetoprotein may also be found in individuals with no obvious pathology.The protein is thought to be the fetal counterpart of serum albumin, and the alpha-fetoprotein and albumin genes are present in tandem in the same transcriptional orientation on chromosome 4.Alpha-fetoprotein is found in monomeric as well as dimeric and trimeric forms, and binds copper, nickel, fatty acids and bilirubin.The level of alpha-fetoprotein in amniotic fluid is used to measure renal loss of protein to screen for spina bifida and anencephaly.