What is another term used for prealbumin?

Prealbumin is commonly referred to as transthyretin, which is one of its official names in the medical and biochemical community. Transthyretin is a plasma protein that primarily transports thyroxine (T4) and retinol (vitamin A) binding protein in the blood. It is synthesized in the liver and serves as a marker for nutritional status, especially in conditions of protein deficiency.

Understanding the role of transthyretin as a transport protein emphasizes its clinical significance. Measurements of prealbumin or transthyretin levels can provide insight into a patient’s nutritional status, especially in critically ill patients or those with liver dysfunction. The other options, while they refer to distinct proteins with important functions in the body, do not represent prealbumin. For example, retinol-binding protein is involved in vitamin A transport, transferrin is responsible for iron transport, and ceruloplasmin binds copper in the bloodstream. Each of these proteins has distinct roles that differentiate them clearly from transthyretin.