Costs for a transferrin determination
The costs for a transferrin determination cannot be exactly quantified. This is mainly due to the fact that transferrin is rarely determined alone. Instead, the transferrin is determined within the framework of the clarification of the entire iron metabolism pathway.
Thus, iron, hemoglobin, erythrocyte count and ferritin are usually determined at the same time. In order to calculate the isolated costs for the transferrin determination, one would also have to calculate the costs for blood collection and sending the blood sample. Usually the costs for the transferrin determination are covered by the health insurance.
What is the transferrin receptor?
Transferrin receptors (TfR) can be divided into two different types. TfR 1 is produced by all body cells, TfR 2, on the other hand, is found almost exclusively in the liver. The transferrin receptors serve the respective cells to absorb iron.
In the process, the iron-loaded transferrin is bound to the receptor. This triggers a mechanism in the cell in which the iron is released from the transferrin and channelled into the cell. The transferrin is then emptied again and can take up new iron.
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