biology

Transferrin receptor 1

Transferrin receptor 1 is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Transferrin receptor 1 rather than just read about it. In short: Transferrin receptor protein 1 (TfR1), also known as Cluster of Differentiation 71 (CD71), is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TFRC gene. TfR1 is required for iron import from transferrin into cells by endocytosis.

Key takeaways

Transferrin receptor 1 belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Transferrin receptor 1 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Transferrin receptor 1 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Transferrin receptor protein 1 (TfR1), also known as Cluster of Differentiation 71 (CD71), is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TFRC gene. TfR1 is required for iron import from transferrin into cells by endocytosis.

Structure and function

TfR1 is a transmembrane glycoprotein composed of two disulfide-linked monomers joined by two disulfide bonds. Each monomer binds one holo-transferrin molecule creating an iron-Tf-TfR complex which enters the cell by endocytosis.

Clinical significance TfR1 as a potential new target in cases of human leukemia & lymphoma. InatherYs, in Évry, France, developed a candidate drug, INA01 antibody (anti-CD71) that showed efficacy in pre-clinical studies in the therapy of two incurable orphan oncohematological diseases: the adult T cell leukemia (ATLL) caused by HTLV-1 and the Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). TfR1 expressed on the endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is used also in preclinical research to allow the delivery of large molecules including antibodies into the brain. Some of the TfR1 targeting antibodies have been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier, without interfering with the uptake of iron. Amongst those are the mouse anti rat-TfR antibody OX26 and the rat anti mouse-TfR antibody 8D3. The affinity of the antibody-TfR interaction seems to be important determining the success of transcytotic transport over endothelial cells of the BBB. Monovalent TfR interaction favors BBB transport due to altered intracellular sorting pathways. Avidity effects of bivalent interactions redirecting transport to the lysosome. Also, reducing TfR binding affinity directly promote dissociation from the TfR which increase brain parenchymal exposure of the TfR binding antibody.

Interactions TfR1 has been shown to interact with GABARAP and HFE.

Immunostain marker CD71 is a robust immunohistochemistry marker for chorionic villi, especially in necrotic specimens. Among white blood cells and precursors, CD71 is expressed only by erythroid precursors within the normal hematopoietic marrow and spleen, in contrast to glycophorin that marks all types of red blood cells.

See also Transferrin receptor 2 Cluster of differentiation

References

External links Overview of all the structural information available in the PDB for UniProt: P02786 (Human Transferrin receptor protein 1) at the PDBe-KB.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Transferrin receptor 1

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Transferrin receptor 1 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Transferrin receptor 1 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Transferrin receptor 1 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Transferrin receptor 1

In research: Transferrin receptor 1 appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Transferrin receptor 1 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Transferrin receptor 1 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Clusters of differentiation, Genes on human chromosome 3, Iron metabolism, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Transferrin receptor 1 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Transferrin receptor 1 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Transferrin receptor 1 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Transferrin receptor 1 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Transferrin receptor 1 in simple terms?

Why does Transferrin receptor 1 matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Transferrin receptor 1?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Transferrin receptor 1.