Medical Definition of Alpha-fetoprotein

1. A protein substance that is normally produced by the liver cells. It is one of the first alpha-globulins to appear in mammalian sera during development of the embryo and the dominant serum proteins in early embryonic life. They reappear in the adult serum during certain pathologic states. Measurement of the alpha-fetoprotein level in the bloodstream has been used as a early detection test for some forms of cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). Alpha-fetoprotein can also be an important marker in the fluid obtained by amniocentesis for the prenatal diagnosis of anencephaly and other open neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Elevated in: wrong dates for a pregnancy, multiple gestation, midline closure (neural-tube) defects, encephalocele, anencephaly, liver tumours, hepatoblastoma, haemangioendothelioma (occasionally, mild), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, hepatoma). The level produced by liver tumours (hepatomas), germ cell tumours (teratocarcinoma and embryonal cell carcinomas) permits the monitoring of response to treatment of these tumours. Decreased in: wrong dates for a pregnancy, chromosome abnormality (including Down syndrome) Acronym: AFP (27 Jun 1999)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Alpha-fetoprotein

alpha-amylase
alpha-antitrypsin deficiency
alpha-beta pruning
alpha-blocker
alpha-blockers
alpha-chloralose
alpha-chlorohydrin
alpha-chymotrypsin-induced glaucoma
alpha-cortol
alpha-cortolone
alpha-d-galactosidase
alpha-d-glucosidase
alpha-endorphin
alpha-farnesene
alpha-fetoprotein (current term)
alpha-fetoproteins
alpha-fucosidase
alpha-galactosidase
alpha-globulin
alpha-glucan branching glycosyltransferase
alpha-glucan phosphorylase
alpha-glucosidases
alpha-hydroxy acid
alpha-hydroxyethylthiamin pyrophosphate
alpha-hydroxyglycine amidating dealkylase
alpha-hydroxymethyl-alpha'-(N-acetylaminomethylene)succinic acid hydrolase
alpha-interferon
alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase
alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex

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