Structural characteristics, multifunctional applications, and research prospects of ferritin: a case study of sturgeon ferritin
Ferritin is a ubiquitous cage-shaped protein found in living organisms. Beyond its fundamental role in iron homeostasis, ferritin demonstrates growing application value in food engineering, nanocarrier systems, and biomedicine, owing to its unique self-assembly properties, exceptional stability, and...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1656213/full |
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| author | Nida Maqsood Zuoliang Tang Abu Zar Ghafoor Shuhong Li Zhiqing Zhang Anjun Chen Zhiyong Zou Man Zhou Meiliang Li |
| author_facet | Nida Maqsood Zuoliang Tang Abu Zar Ghafoor Shuhong Li Zhiqing Zhang Anjun Chen Zhiyong Zou Man Zhou Meiliang Li |
| author_sort | Nida Maqsood |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ferritin is a ubiquitous cage-shaped protein found in living organisms. Beyond its fundamental role in iron homeostasis, ferritin demonstrates growing application value in food engineering, nanocarrier systems, and biomedicine, owing to its unique self-assembly properties, exceptional stability, and biocompatibility. This review systematically summarizes the core structural features and physicochemical properties of ferritin, with a particular focus on its applications across three major domains. In food engineering, ferritin acts as both a carrier for bioactive compounds and a highly efficient, low-irritant iron fortificant, significantly enhancing nutrient stability, solubility, and bioavailability, thereby extending food shelf life. In the nanocarrier field, its nanocage structure provides an ideal platform for constructing nutrient and drug delivery systems, enabling targeted transport and controlled release. In biomedicine, ferritin is utilized in tumor imaging, targeted therapy, and inflammation biomarker detection. Using sturgeon liver ferritin as a specific example, this review details its unique advantages derived from its source, such as distinctive structure, enhanced stability, and application potential. Furthermore, the review identifies key challenges in ferritin research, including structural variability, digestive stability, and long-term safety concerns. It also outlines future research directions, highlighting the immense potential of ferritin in addressing critical challenges like fresh-cut food preservation. With advancing technology and multidisciplinary integration, ferritin is poised to become a powerful interdisciplinary tool. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-579a3e21a5b744ea98b7eecd4c3effe8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-861X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-579a3e21a5b744ea98b7eecd4c3effe82025-08-20T03:51:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2025-07-011210.3389/fnut.2025.16562131656213Structural characteristics, multifunctional applications, and research prospects of ferritin: a case study of sturgeon ferritinNida Maqsood0Zuoliang Tang1Abu Zar Ghafoor2Shuhong Li3Zhiqing Zhang4Anjun Chen5Zhiyong Zou6Man Zhou7Meiliang Li8College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, ChinaDepartment of Biometry, Institute of Agriculture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, PolandCollege of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, ChinaCollege of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, ChinaCollege of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, ChinaCollege of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, ChinaCollege of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, ChinaFerritin is a ubiquitous cage-shaped protein found in living organisms. Beyond its fundamental role in iron homeostasis, ferritin demonstrates growing application value in food engineering, nanocarrier systems, and biomedicine, owing to its unique self-assembly properties, exceptional stability, and biocompatibility. This review systematically summarizes the core structural features and physicochemical properties of ferritin, with a particular focus on its applications across three major domains. In food engineering, ferritin acts as both a carrier for bioactive compounds and a highly efficient, low-irritant iron fortificant, significantly enhancing nutrient stability, solubility, and bioavailability, thereby extending food shelf life. In the nanocarrier field, its nanocage structure provides an ideal platform for constructing nutrient and drug delivery systems, enabling targeted transport and controlled release. In biomedicine, ferritin is utilized in tumor imaging, targeted therapy, and inflammation biomarker detection. Using sturgeon liver ferritin as a specific example, this review details its unique advantages derived from its source, such as distinctive structure, enhanced stability, and application potential. Furthermore, the review identifies key challenges in ferritin research, including structural variability, digestive stability, and long-term safety concerns. It also outlines future research directions, highlighting the immense potential of ferritin in addressing critical challenges like fresh-cut food preservation. With advancing technology and multidisciplinary integration, ferritin is poised to become a powerful interdisciplinary tool.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1656213/fullferritinfresh-cut fruit preservationfood nutritionsturgeon ferritinnanocarrierfood waste |
| spellingShingle | Nida Maqsood Zuoliang Tang Abu Zar Ghafoor Shuhong Li Zhiqing Zhang Anjun Chen Zhiyong Zou Man Zhou Meiliang Li Structural characteristics, multifunctional applications, and research prospects of ferritin: a case study of sturgeon ferritin Frontiers in Nutrition ferritin fresh-cut fruit preservation food nutrition sturgeon ferritin nanocarrier food waste |
| title | Structural characteristics, multifunctional applications, and research prospects of ferritin: a case study of sturgeon ferritin |
| title_full | Structural characteristics, multifunctional applications, and research prospects of ferritin: a case study of sturgeon ferritin |
| title_fullStr | Structural characteristics, multifunctional applications, and research prospects of ferritin: a case study of sturgeon ferritin |
| title_full_unstemmed | Structural characteristics, multifunctional applications, and research prospects of ferritin: a case study of sturgeon ferritin |
| title_short | Structural characteristics, multifunctional applications, and research prospects of ferritin: a case study of sturgeon ferritin |
| title_sort | structural characteristics multifunctional applications and research prospects of ferritin a case study of sturgeon ferritin |
| topic | ferritin fresh-cut fruit preservation food nutrition sturgeon ferritin nanocarrier food waste |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1656213/full |
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