Ferritin

Ferritin is a ubiquitous intracellular protein that stores iron and releases it in a controlled fashion. About teo-thirds of the iron stores in the human body exist in the form of ferritin. The clinical assessment of iron stores has clinically relied on the determination of serum iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and percent transferrin (ratio of serum iron and TIBC) or direct examination of bone marrow. Recent literature suggests that ferritin provides a more sensitive, specific and reliable measurement for determining iron deficiency at an early stage.