transferrin

noun

trans·​fer·​rin tran(t)s-ˈfer-ən How to pronounce transferrin (audio)
: a beta globulin in blood plasma capable of combining with ferric ions and transporting iron in the body

Examples of transferrin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
High signs of transferrin may be a sign of iron deficiency anemia. Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 18 June 2024 After isolating the stem cells, they were placed in a bath of human blood plasma, insulin, and a solution containing iron and transferrin protein. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023 Researchers must develop a human version of the antibody (our transferrin receptors are different from mice's). Valerie Ross, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2011 The Genentech researchers engineered one of the arms to seize a receptor that normally snags transferrin. Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2011 UConn also has commitments from Lee Molette, a 6-foot-3 all-around athlete from Brentwood, Tenn., and Tres Barbosa, a 295-pound lineman transferrin from Texas-El Paso, and Sokoya McDuffie, a defensive lineman from Old Dominion. Dom Amore, courant.com, 1 Feb. 2022 Her nasal drainage was later analyzed and tested positive for beta-2 transferrin, a marker that’s found almost exclusively in cerebrospinal (aka brain) fluid. Korin Miller, Health.com, 2 Oct. 2020 The organoid also pumped out standard human liver proteins, including albumin and transferrin. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 22 July 2017

Word History

Etymology

trans- + Latin ferrum "iron" + -in entry 1 — more at farrier

Note: The term was first suggested by Carl G. Holmberg and C.-G. Laurell in "Nature of Serum Copper and its Relation to the Iron-binding Protein in Human Serum," Acta Chemica Scandinavica, vol. 1 (1947), p. 950.

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of transferrin was in 1947

Dictionary Entries Near transferrin

Cite this Entry

“Transferrin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transferrin. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

transferrin

noun
trans·​fer·​rin tran(t)s-ˈfer-ən How to pronounce transferrin (audio)
: a beta globulin in blood plasma capable of combining with ferric ions and transporting iron in the body

called also siderophilin

More from Merriam-Webster on transferrin

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!