AFP

This gene encodes 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 hepatocarcinoma and with teratoma, and has prognostic value for managing advanced gastric cancer. 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. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2019]

本基因编码胎儿甲种蛋白，该蛋白为胎儿期由卵黄囊和肝脏产生的主要血浆蛋白。成年期胎儿甲种蛋白的表达通常与肝细胞癌和畸胎瘤相关，且对于晚期胃癌的治疗预后具有指导意义。然而，在无明显病理情况的人群中，也可能发现胎儿甲种蛋白的遗传性持续存在。该蛋白被认为是血清白蛋白的胎儿对应物，胎儿甲种蛋白和血清白蛋白基因位于第4号染色体上，呈串联排列，转录方向相同。胎儿甲种蛋白以单体、二聚体和三聚体形式存在，并能与铜、镍、脂肪酸和胆红素结合。羊水中胎儿甲种蛋白的水平被用于衡量蛋白质的肾丢失，以此筛查脊柱裂和无脑畸形。[由RefSeq提供，2019年10月]