Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant'Angelo, via Cinthia, 26, 80126 Naples, Italy.
Molecules. 2024 Aug 27;29(17):4045. doi: 10.3390/molecules29174045.
Ferritin (Ft) is a protein with a peculiar three-dimensional architecture. It is characterized by a hollow cage structure and is responsible for iron storage and detoxification in almost all living organisms. It has attracted the interest of the scientific community thanks to its appealing features, such as its nano size, thermal and pH stability, ease of functionalization, and low cost for large-scale production. Together with high storage capacity, these properties qualify Ft as a promising nanocarrier for the development of delivery systems for numerous types of biologically active molecules. In this paper, we introduce the basic structural and functional aspects of the protein, and summarize the methods employed to load bioactive molecules within the ferritin nanocage.
铁蛋白（Ft）是一种具有特殊三维结构的蛋白质。它的特点是具有空心笼状结构，负责几乎所有生物体中的铁储存和解毒。由于其吸引人的特性，如纳米尺寸、热和 pH 稳定性、易于功能化以及大规模生产的低成本，它引起了科学界的兴趣。加上高储存能力，这些特性使 Ft 成为开发用于输送各种生物活性分子的输送系统的有前途的纳米载体。在本文中，我们介绍了该蛋白质的基本结构和功能方面，并总结了在铁蛋白纳米笼内装载生物活性分子的方法。
