The Regulation of Human Lymphocytes by Alpha-Petoprotein and its Possible Significance in Petal-Material Relationship

Abstract

There are several embryonic specific proteins in the fetal circultion which are normally present in the serum of adult individuals in very minute concentration. In 1914, Pederson discovered a. protein caller) "Ietuin" in calf serum that was not present in adult bovine serum (1). Since then, a number of fetospecific serum proteins in several mammalian species have been identified (2,J). Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is an embryonic specific protein synthesized by the liver and it is the firstt alpha-protein to appear in mammalian sera durinc; ontogenetic develop­ ment (4, 5). It is also the dominant serum protein in early embryonic life when albumin and transferrin are in trace amounts (4, 5). In the earlier literature, AFP was also known as alpha1-globulin, postalbumin, alpha­ fetoglobulin, and Substance X (6).