Ferritin

Literature References: Major iron storage protein; widely distributed in the plant and animal kingdoms. Consists of a 24-subunit protein shell surrounding a crystalline hydrous ferric oxide core. The core may contain up to 4500 Fe3+ ions. The protein shell, apoferritin, has a mol wt of ~445,000. Isoln and crystallization of horse spleen ferritin: V. Laufberger, Bull. Soc. Chim. Biol. 19, 1575 (1937); S. Granick, J. Biol. Chem. 146, 451 (1942). X-ray structural study of apoferritin: P. M. Harrison, J. Mol. Biol. 6, 404 (1963). Review of properties and role in iron metabolism: S. Granick, Chem. Rev. 38, 379-403 (1946); of structure, biosynthesis and function: R. R. Crichton, N. Engl. J. Med. 284, 1413-1422 (1971); P. M. Harrison, T. G. Hoy, "Ferritin" in Inorganic Biochemistry vol. 1, G. L. Eichhorn, Ed. (Elsevier, New York, 1973) pp 253-279; H. N. Munro, M. C. Linder, Physiol. Rev. 58, 317-396 (1978); of applications in clinical medicine: J. W. Halliday, L. W. Powell, Prog. Hematol. 11, 229-266 (1979); of biology: M. Worwood, Blood Rev. 4, 259-269 (1990); of structure and role in iron mineralization: N. D. Chasteen, P. M. Harrison, J. Struct. Biol. 126, 182-194 (1999); of mitochondrial ferritin: J. Drysdale et al., Blood Cells Mol. Dis. 29, 376-383 (2002); of role in dietary iron supplementation: E. C. Theil, Annu. Rev. Nutr. 24, 327-343 (2004).