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Cite this page: Albumin. PathologyOutlines.com website. http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/stainsalbumin.html. Accessed July 12th, 2017.
Definition / general
- Most common serum protein
- 65K protein produced by ALB gene on #4, by liver (Wikipedia)
- 50% of total plasma protein content; usual serum concentration of 40 g/L
- Binds to water, bilirubin, calcium, fatty acids, hormones (acts as carrier protein), potassium, sodium, and various drugs
- Main function of serum albumin is to regulate blood colloidal osmotic pressure
- Bovine serum albumin (BSA): plasma protein from cows that maintains osmotic pressure in blood plasma for proper distribution of body fluids between intravascular compartments and body tissues
- Rarely used as IHC marker for liver
Clinical features
- Laboratory:
- For serum albumin measure, most instrument systems do NOT have satisfactory total-error performance (Arch Pathol Lab Med 2013;137:912)
- Serum albumin may be a low cost diagnostic marker for tuberculosis in HIV+ patients eligible for antiretroviral therapy (Bioimpacts 2013;3:123)
- In type 2 diabetes patients with stable angina and chronic total coronary occlusion, increased serum glycated albumin levels are associated with impaired coronary collateral growth (Cardiovasc Diabetol 2013;12:165)
- Deficiency causes familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia (MIM:103600)
- Surgical pathology
- Albumin in-situ hybridization may be specific for hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatoid areas of combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (Am J Surg Pathol 2002;26:989), although other markers are more commonly used
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on other servers:
Left: normal liver; right: negative control
Liver and hepatocellular carcinoma
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