Serum ferritin: Past, present and future

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta Vol. 1800; no. 8; pp. 760 - 769
• Main Authors: Wang, Wei, Knovich, Mary Ann, Coffman, Lan G., Torti, Frank M., Torti, Suzy V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.08.2010
• Subjects: Animals; Biomedical Research - history; Biomedical Research - trends; Blood Proteins - physiology; Cancer; Extracellular Space - metabolism; Ferritin; Ferritin receptor; Ferritins - blood; Ferritins - metabolism; Ferritins - physiology; Health Status; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Inflammation; Iron; Iron Metabolism Disorders - complications; Iron Metabolism Disorders - diagnosis; Iron Metabolism Disorders - therapy; Iron store; Ferritin receptor; Iron store; Iron; Inflammation; Ferritin; Cancer
• ISSN: 0304-4165; 0006-3002; 1872-8006
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2010.03.011

Serum ferritin was discovered in the 1930s, and was developed as a clinical test in the 1970s. Many diseases are associated with iron overload or iron deficiency. Serum ferritin is widely used in diagnosing and monitoring these diseases. In this chapter, we discuss the role of serum ferritin in physiological and pathological processes and its use as a clinical tool. Although many aspects of the fundamental biology of serum ferritin remain surprisingly unclear, a growing number of roles have been attributed to extracellular ferritin, including newly described roles in iron delivery, angiogenesis, inflammation, immunity, signaling and cancer. Serum ferritin remains a clinically useful tool. Further studies on the biology of this protein may provide new biological insights.