Entrez Summary: This gene encodes alpha-fetoprotein, a major plasma protein produced by the yolk sac and the liver during fetal life. Alpha-fetoprotein expression in adults is often associated with hepatoma or teratoma. However, hereditary persistance of alpha-fetoprotein may also be found in individuals with no obvious pathology. The protein is thought to be the fetal counterpart of serum albumin, and the alpha-fetoprotein and albumin genes are present in tandem in the same transcriptional orientation on chromosome 4. Alpha-fetoprotein is found in monomeric as well as dimeric and trimeric forms, and binds copper, nickel, fatty acids and bilirubin. The level of alpha-fetoprotein in amniotic fluid is used to measure renal loss of protein to screen for spina bifida and anencephaly. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].
UniProt Summary: Binds copper, nickel, and fatty acids as well as, and bilirubin less well than, serum albumin. Only a small percentage (less than 2%) of the human AFP shows estrogen-binding properties.
Pfam DomainsGO Terms
Pfam Domains
Serum albumin
GO Terms
ovulation from ovarian follicle
progesterone metabolic process
ovulation
C21-steroid hormone metabolic process
ovulation cycle process
SMAD protein signal transduction
ovulation cycle
cellular ketone metabolic process
female gonad development
development of primary female sexual characteristics
female sex differentiation
cellular hormone metabolic process
female gamete generation
transmembrane receptor protein serine/threonine kinase signaling pathway
hormone metabolic process
gonad development
development of primary sexual characteristics
steroid metabolic process
sex differentiation
rhythmic process
endoplasmic reticulum lumen
post-translational protein modification
reproductive structure development
reproductive system development
drug metabolic process
regulation of hormone levels
developmental process involved in reproduction
gamete generation
enzyme linked receptor protein signaling pathway
multicellular organismal reproductive process
sexual reproduction
multicellular organism reproduction
multi-organism reproductive process
lipid metabolic process
reproductive process
reproduction
extracellular space
small molecule metabolic process
CRISPR Data
Compound HitMost Correlated Genes in ChemogenomicsTissues where Essential in the Avana Dataset (DepMap 20Q1)