Alpha-Fetoprotein: From a Diagnostic Biomarker to a Key Role in Female Fertility
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a well-known diagnostic biomarker used in medicine to detect fetal developmental anomalies such as neural tube defects or Down's syndrome, or to follow up the development of tumors such as hepatocellular carcinomas. However, and despite the fact that the protein was d...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2006-01-01
|
| Series: | Biomarker Insights |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://la-press.com/article.php?article_id=26 |
| _version_ | 1818303976802615296 |
|---|---|
| author | Christelle De Mees Julie Bakker Josiane Szpirer Claude Szpirer |
| author_facet | Christelle De Mees Julie Bakker Josiane Szpirer Claude Szpirer |
| author_sort | Christelle De Mees |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a well-known diagnostic biomarker used in medicine to detect fetal developmental anomalies such as neural tube defects or Down's syndrome, or to follow up the development of tumors such as hepatocellular carcinomas. However, and despite the fact that the protein was discovered almost half a century ago, little was known about its physiological function. The study of Afp knock-out mice uncovered a surprising function of AFP: it is essential for female fertility and for expression of normal female behaviors, and this action is mediated through its estrogen binding capacity. AFP sequestrates estrogens and by so doing protects the female developing brain from deleterious (defeminizing/ masculinizing) effects of these hormones |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T06:03:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a11db8c3f60d4585ad52a5b0a83c4230 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1177-2719 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T06:03:22Z |
| publishDate | 2006-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomarker Insights |
| spelling | doaj.art-a11db8c3f60d4585ad52a5b0a83c42302022-12-21T23:57:17ZengSAGE PublishingBiomarker Insights1177-27192006-01-0118588Alpha-Fetoprotein: From a Diagnostic Biomarker to a Key Role in Female FertilityChristelle De MeesJulie BakkerJosiane SzpirerClaude SzpirerAlpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a well-known diagnostic biomarker used in medicine to detect fetal developmental anomalies such as neural tube defects or Down's syndrome, or to follow up the development of tumors such as hepatocellular carcinomas. However, and despite the fact that the protein was discovered almost half a century ago, little was known about its physiological function. The study of Afp knock-out mice uncovered a surprising function of AFP: it is essential for female fertility and for expression of normal female behaviors, and this action is mediated through its estrogen binding capacity. AFP sequestrates estrogens and by so doing protects the female developing brain from deleterious (defeminizing/ masculinizing) effects of these hormoneshttp://la-press.com/article.php?article_id=26Alpha-fetoproteinEstrogensAnovulationFemale brain differentiation |
| spellingShingle | Christelle De Mees Julie Bakker Josiane Szpirer Claude Szpirer Alpha-Fetoprotein: From a Diagnostic Biomarker to a Key Role in Female Fertility Biomarker Insights Alpha-fetoprotein Estrogens Anovulation Female brain differentiation |
| title | Alpha-Fetoprotein: From a Diagnostic Biomarker to a Key Role in Female Fertility |
| title_full | Alpha-Fetoprotein: From a Diagnostic Biomarker to a Key Role in Female Fertility |
| title_fullStr | Alpha-Fetoprotein: From a Diagnostic Biomarker to a Key Role in Female Fertility |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alpha-Fetoprotein: From a Diagnostic Biomarker to a Key Role in Female Fertility |
| title_short | Alpha-Fetoprotein: From a Diagnostic Biomarker to a Key Role in Female Fertility |
| title_sort | alpha fetoprotein from a diagnostic biomarker to a key role in female fertility |
| topic | Alpha-fetoprotein Estrogens Anovulation Female brain differentiation |
| url | http://la-press.com/article.php?article_id=26 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christelledemees alphafetoproteinfromadiagnosticbiomarkertoakeyroleinfemalefertility AT juliebakker alphafetoproteinfromadiagnosticbiomarkertoakeyroleinfemalefertility AT josianeszpirer alphafetoproteinfromadiagnosticbiomarkertoakeyroleinfemalefertility AT claudeszpirer alphafetoproteinfromadiagnosticbiomarkertoakeyroleinfemalefertility |