Objective: In order to investigate the expression of ferritin receptor (FnR) on human placental microvillous membrane in mid-pregnancy and its implication.
Methods: Radioligand binding assay was used, with horse spleen 125I-apo-ferritin as radioligand.
Results: The FnR expression in normal placental microvillous membrane in mid-pregnancy was (9.63 +/- 4.72) x 10(12) sites/mg pro, similar to that in normal placental of term delivery,and the dissociation constants (Kd) between them had also no significant difference: Competitive binding assay indicated that the receptor bound basic ferritin with higher affinity than acidic one.
Conclusions: The expression of FnR in mid-pregnancy almost come to mature level; The FnR on placenta might be involved in maternal-fetal iron transport, transfering iron from mother to fetal.