TRFE Rabbit Polyclonal Antibody

Transferrin receptor (TRFE), more commonly referred to as the transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1 or CD71), is a type II transmembrane glycoprotein that plays a pivotal role in cellular iron homeostasis by mediating the endocytic uptake of iron-bound transferrin from the bloodstream. Primarily expressed on the surface of erythroid precursors and other rapidly dividing cells, TRFE functions as a homodimer that binds diferric transferrin with high affinity at neutral pH, triggering receptor-mediated endocytosis; upon internalization into acidic endosomes, the drop in pH causes the release of iron from transferrin, which is then transported into the cytoplasm via divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) for essential processes such as hemoglobin synthesis and DNA replication, while the apotransferrin-receptor complex recycles back to the cell surface. Due to its critical involvement in iron acquisition, TRFE expression is tightly regulated by intracellular iron levels through the iron-responsive element/iron-regulatory protein (IRE/IRP) system, making it not only a fundamental component of physiological iron metabolism but also a significant biomarker for proliferative activity and a potential therapeutic target in conditions ranging from iron-deficiency anemia to various malignancies where iron demand is heightened.