TFRC Protein, Mouse (HEK293, His)

TFRC, a pivotal protein in cellular iron uptake, orchestrates receptor-mediated endocytosis of ligand-occupied transferrin into specialized endosomes, where endosomal acidification triggers iron release. The apotransferrin-receptor complex undergoes recycling to the cell surface while a return to neutral pH, leading to the loss of apotransferrin affinity for its receptor. Essential for erythrocyte and nervous system development, TFRC positively regulates T and B cell proliferation through iron uptake. Acting as a lipid sensor, TFRC modulates mitochondrial fusion by regulating the JNK pathway. Low dietary stearate levels induce JNK pathway activation, resulting in HUWE1-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of mitofusin MFN2, inhibiting mitochondrial fusion. Conversely, high stearate levels stearoylate TFRC, suppressing JNK pathway activation and preventing MFN2 degradation. TFRC also can function as a homodimer with disulfide linkage, binding one transferrin molecule per subunit, and interacts with SH3BP4 and STEAP3, the latter facilitating TFRC endocytosis in erythroid precursor cells.