Discussion
Ask a question about 'Blood proteins'
Start a new discussion about 'Blood proteins'
Answer questions from other users
|
Blood proteins, also termed
serum proteins or
plasma proteins, are
proteinProteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
s found in
blood plasmaBlood plasma is the straw-colored liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid...
.
Serum total proteinSerum total protein, also called plasma total protein or total protein, is a biochemical test for measuring the total amount of protein in blood plasma or serum....
in blood is 7g/dl. They serve many different functions, including
- circulatory transport molecules for lipids hormones, vitamins and metals
- enzymes, complement components, protease inhibitors, and kinin precursors
- regulation of acellular
Non-cellular life is life that exists without a cellular structure. This term presumes the phylogenetic scientific classification of viruses as lifeforms....
activity and functioning and in the immune system.
Separating serum proteins by electrophoresis is a valuable diagnostic tool as well as a way to monitor clinical progress.
Often mentioned blood proteins:

| Blood protein | Normal level | % | Function |
AlbuminSerum albumin, often referred to simply as albumin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ALB gene.Serum albumin is the most abundant plasma protein in mammals. Albumin is essential for maintaining the osmotic pressure needed for proper distribution of body fluids between intravascular... s |
3.5-5.0 g/dl |
60% |
create oncotic pressure Oncotic pressure, or colloid osmotic pressure, is a form of osmotic pressure exerted by proteins in blood plasma that usually tends to pull water into the circulatory system.Throughout the body, dissolved compounds have an osmotic pressure... and transports other molecules |
| immunoglobulins |
1.0-1.5 g/dl |
18% |
participate in immune systemAn immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
|
| Fibrinogen Fibrinogen is a soluble plasma glycoprotein, synthesised by the liver, that is converted by thrombin into fibrin during blood coagulation. This is achieved through processes in the coagulation cascade that activate the zymogen prothrombin to the serine protease thrombin, which is responsible for... s |
0.2-0.45 g/dl |
4% |
blood coagulation |
alpha 1-antitrypsinAlpha 1-Antitrypsin or α1-antitrypsin is a protease inhibitor belonging to the serpin superfamily. It is generally known as serum trypsin inhibitor. Alpha 1-antitrypsin is also referred to as alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor because it inhibits a wide variety of proteases...
|
|
|
neutralize trypsinTrypsin is a serine protease found in the digestive system of many vertebrates, where it hydrolyses proteins. Trypsin is produced in the pancreas as the inactive proenzyme trypsinogen. Trypsin cleaves peptide chains mainly at the carboxyl side of the amino acids lysine or arginine, except when... that has leaked from the digestive system |
| Regulatory Gene modulation redirects here. For information on therapeutic regulation of gene expression, see therapeutic gene modulation.Regulation of gene expression includes the processes that cells and viruses use to regulate the way that the information in genes is turned into gene products... proteins |
|
<1% |
Regulation of few gene expression Gene modulation redirects here. For information on therapeutic regulation of gene expression, see therapeutic gene modulation.Regulation of gene expression includes the processes that cells and viruses use to regulate the way that the information in genes is turned into gene products...
|
Other types of blood proteins include:
Prealbumin
Alpha 1 antitrypsin
Alpha 1 acid glycoprotein
Alpha 1 fetoprotein
Haptoglobin
Alpha 2 macroglobulin
Ceruloplasmin
Transferring
C3/C4
Beta 2 microglobulin
Beta lipoprotein
Gamma globulin proteins
C-reactive protein (CRP)
- alpha2-macroglobulin
- Other globulins, which are of three types- alpha, beta and gamma.
- Lipoprotein
A lipoprotein is a biochemical assembly that contains both proteins and lipids water-bound to the proteins. Many enzymes, transporters, structural proteins, antigens, adhesins, and toxins are lipoproteins...
s (chylomicrons, VLDL, LDL, HDLHigh-density lipoprotein is one of the five major groups of lipoproteins, which, in order of sizes, largest to smallest, are chylomicrons, VLDL, IDL, LDL, and HDL, which enable lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides to be transported within the water-based bloodstream...
)
- Transferrin
Transferrins are iron-binding blood plasma glycoproteins that control the level of free iron in biological fluids. In humans, it is encoded by the TF gene.Transferrin is a glycoprotein that binds iron very tightly but reversibly...
- Prothrombin
- MBL
Mannose-binding lectin , also named mannose- or mannan-binding protein , is an important factor in innate immunity.-Function:MBL belongs to the class of collectins in the C-type lectin superfamily, whose function appears to be pattern recognition in the first line of defense in the pre-immune...
or MBP
All the plasma proteins are synthesized in liver except gamma globulins.
60% of plasma proteins are made up of the protein albumin, which are major contributors to osmotic pressure of plasma which assists in the transport of lipids and steroid hormones. Globulins make up 35% of plasma proteins and are used in the transport of ions, hormones and lipids assisting in immune function. 4% is fibrinogen which is essential in the clotting of blood and can be converted into insoluble fibrin. Regulatory proteins which make up less than 1% of plasma proteins are proteins such as enzymes, proenzymes and hormones. Current research regarding
blood plasmaBlood plasma is the straw-colored liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid...
proteins is centered on performing
proteomicsProteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term "proteomics" was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with...
analyses of serum/plasma in the search for biomarkers. These efforts started with
two-dimensional gel electrophoresisTwo-dimensional gel electrophoresis, abbreviated as 2-DE or 2-D electrophoresis, is a form of gel electrophoresis commonly used to analyze proteins...
efforts in the 1970s and in more recent times this research has been performed using LC-tandem MS based
proteomicsProteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term "proteomics" was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with...
.