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Updated: Mar 30, 2026

Real-time Analyses of Retinol Transport by the Membrane Receptor of Plasma Retinol Binding Protein
Published on: January 28, 2013
Behind the scenes of vitamin D binding protein: more than vitamin D binding
Joris R Delanghe1, Reinhart Speeckaert1, Marijn M Speeckaert2
1Department of Clinical Chemistry, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract:
Although being discovered in 1959, the number of published papers in recent years reveals that vitamin D binding protein (DBP), a member of the albuminoid superfamily, is a hot research topic. Besides the three major phenotypes (DBP1F, DBP1S and DBP2), more than 120 unique variants have been described of this polymorphic protein. The presence of DBP has been demonstrated in different body fluids (serum, urine, breast milk, ascitic fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva and seminal fluid) and organs (brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, placenta, spleen, testes and uterus). Although the major function is binding, solubilization and transport of vitamin D and its metabolites, the name of this glycoprotein hides numerous other important biological functions. In this review, we will focus on the analytical aspects of the determination of DBP and discuss in detail the multifunctional capacity [actin scavenging, binding of fatty acids, chemotaxis, binding of endotoxins, influence on T cell response and influence of vitamin D binding protein-macrophage activating factor (DBP-MAF) on bone metabolism and cancer] of this abundant plasma protein.
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