Lactoferrin-like Immunoreactivity in Distinct Neuronal Populations in the Mouse Central Nervous System.

Lactoferrin (Lf) is an iron-binding glycoprotein mainly found in exocrine secretions and the secondary granules of neutrophils. In the central nervous system (CNS), expression of the Lf protein has been reported in the lesions of some neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as in the aged brain. Lf is primarily considered an iron chelator, protecting cells from potentially toxic iron or iron-requiring microorganisms.