Alpha-fetoprotein

AFP
Available structures
PDB	Ortholog search: PDBe RCSB
List of PDB id codes
	3MRK
Identifiers
Aliases	AFP, AFPD, FETA, HPalpha fetoprotein
External IDs	OMIM: 104150; MGI: 87951; HomoloGene: 36278; GeneCards: AFP; OMA:AFP - orthologs
Gene location (Human)
Chr.	Chromosome 4 (human)
End	73,456,174 bp
Gene location (Mouse)
Chr.	Chromosome 5 (mouse)
End	90,656,766 bp
RNA expression pattern
	Top expressed in
	testicle; ; gonad; ; right lobe of liver; ; human kidney; ; embryo; ; amniotic fluid; ; metanephros; ; right adrenal cortex; ; ascending aorta; ; lactiferous gland;
	Top expressed in
	human fetus; ; abdominal wall; ; fetal liver hematopoietic progenitor cell; ; yolk sac; ; epithelium of small intestine; ; atrioventricular valve; ; internal carotid artery; ; external carotid artery; ; migratory enteric neural crest cell; ; primitive streak;
	More reference expression data
	More reference expression data
Gene ontology
Molecular function	metal ion binding; protein binding;
Cellular component	extracellular region; extracellular space; cytoplasm; endoplasmic reticulum lumen;
Biological process	ovulation from ovarian follicle; SMAD protein signal transduction; sexual reproduction; progesterone metabolic process; post-translational protein modification;
	Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs
	174
	11576
	ENSG00000081051
	ENSMUSG00000054932
	P02771
	P02772
	NM_001134; NM_001354717
	NM_007423
	NP_001125; NP_001341646
	NP_031449
	Wikidata
View/Edit Human	View/Edit Mouse

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP, α-fetoprotein; also sometimes called alpha-1-fetoprotein, alpha-fetoglobulin, or alpha fetal protein) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the AFP gene. The AFP gene is located on the q arm of chromosome 4 (4q13.3). Maternal AFP serum level is used to screen for Down syndrome, neural tube defects, and other chromosomal abnormalities.

AFP is a major plasma protein produced by the yolk sac and the fetal liver during fetal development. It is thought to be the fetal analog of serum albumin. AFP binds to copper, nickel, fatty acids and bilirubin and is found in monomeric, dimeric and trimeric forms.