Abstract
α FOETOPROTEIN (AFP) is a major plasma protein of the foetus1, where it is produced by the yolk sac and the liver2. In adults its concentration is extremely low3 except in patients with tumours such as hepatomas and teratomas4,5. AFP has a molecular weight of 70,000, consists of a single polypeptide chain and contains about 4% carbohydrate6. The similarity of the chemical properties of AFP and albumin and the fact that their concentrations in the serum are high and inversely related7 has led to the suggestion8 that AFP may be a foetal counterpart of albumin. We have determined amino acid sequences of fragments of human AFP and found homology between these and the albumin sequence.
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RUOSLAHTI, E., TERRY, W. α Foetoprotein and serum albumin show sequence homology. Nature 260, 804–805 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/260804a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/260804a0
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