FITC Mouse Anti-Rat CD71 Antibody (OX-26)

CD71, also known as the transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), is a type II transmembrane glycoprotein that plays a pivotal role in cellular iron homeostasis by mediating the high-affinity uptake of iron-bound transferrin through receptor-mediated endocytosis. Structurally, it functions as a homodimer linked by disulfide bonds and is widely expressed on proliferating cells, particularly erythroid precursors, where its expression levels are tightly regulated to meet the substantial iron demands required for hemoglobin synthesis and DNA replication. Beyond its canonical function in iron transport, CD71 serves as a critical diagnostic marker in pathology, especially for identifying erythroid lineage cells and assessing proliferative activity in various malignancies, while emerging research also highlights its involvement in immune modulation, tumor progression, and as a potential therapeutic target for drug delivery systems due to its upregulation in many cancer types.