| Fatty acid-binding proteins, designated FABPs, are a family of homologous cytoplasmic proteins that are expressed in a highly tissue-specific manner and play an integral role in the balance between lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. FABPs mediate fatty acid (FA) and/or hydrophobic ligand uptake, transport and targeting within their respective tissues. The mechanisms underlying these actions can give rise to both passive diffusional uptake and protein-mediated transmembrane transport of FAs. FABPs are expressed in adipocytes (A-FABP), brain (B-FABP), epidermis (E-FABP, also designated psoriasis-associated FABP or PA-FABP), muscle and heart (H-FABP, also designated mammary-derived growth inhibitor or MDGI), intestine (I-FABP), liver (L-FABP), myelin (M-FABP) and testis (T-FABP). MDGI is highly expressed in the myocardium, skeletal and smooth muscle fibers, lipid and/or steroid synthesizing cells and terminally differentiated epithelia of the respiratory, intestinal and urogenital tracts. |
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