Evaluation and comparison of soluble transferrin receptor in thalassemia carriers and iron deficient patients.

Iron is an essential component in the structure of certain molecules such as hemoglobin (Hb), myoglobin, cytochrome C and some enzymes. The iron gateway to cells is transferrin receptor (TfR). Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) is a product of the TfR that circulates in plasma, its concentration therefore, is proportional to the total concentration of cellular TfR.