Alpha globulins are a group of

globular protein In biochemistry, globular proteins or spheroproteins are spherical ("globe-like") proteins and are one of the common protein types (the others being fibrous, disordered and membrane proteins). Globular proteins are somewhat water-soluble (formi ...

s in

plasma Plasma or plasm may refer to: Science * Plasma (physics), one of the four fundamental states of matter * Plasma (mineral), a green translucent silica mineral * Quark–gluon plasma, a state of matter in quantum chromodynamics Biology * Blood pla ...

that are highly mobile in

alkaline In chemistry, an alkali (; from ar, القلوي, al-qaly, lit=ashes of the saltwort) is a base (chemistry), basic, ionic compound, ionic salt (chemistry), salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as ...

or electrically charged solutions. They inhibit certain blood proteases and show significant inhibitor activity. The alpha globulins typically have molecular weights of around 93 kDa.

Examples

Alpha globulins include certain hormones, proteins that transport hormones, and other compounds, including prothrombin and HDL.

Alpha 1 globulins

* α₁-antitrypsin *

Alpha 1-antichymotrypsin Alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (symbol α1AC, A1AC, or a1ACT) is an alpha globulin glycoprotein that is a member of the serpin superfamily. In humans, it is encoded by the ''SERPINA3'' gene. Function Alpha 1-antichymotrypsin inhibits the activity o ...

* Orosomucoid (acid

glycoprotein Glycoproteins are proteins which contain oligosaccharide chains covalently attached to amino acid side-chains. The carbohydrate is attached to the protein in a cotranslational or posttranslational modification. This process is known as glycos ...

) * Serum amyloid A *

Alpha 1-lipoprotein A lipoprotein is a biochemical assembly whose primary function is to transport hydrophobic lipid (also known as fat) molecules in water, as in blood plasma or other extracellular fluids. They consist of a triglyceride and cholesterol center, sur ...

Alpha 2 globulins

Haptoglobin Haptoglobin (abbreviated as Hp) is the protein that in humans is encoded by the ''HP'' gene. In blood plasma, haptoglobin binds with high affinity to ''free'' hemoglobin released from erythrocytes, and thereby inhibits its deleterious oxidative ...

Alpha-2u globulin Major urinary proteins (Mups), also known as α2u-globulins, are a subfamily of proteins found in abundance in the urine and other secretions of many animals. Mups provide a small range of identifying information about the donor animal, when dete ...

* α₂-macroglobulin * Ceruloplasmin * Thyroxine-binding globulin * Alpha 2-antiplasmin * Protein C *

Alpha 2-lipoprotein A lipoprotein is a biochemical assembly whose primary function is to transport hydrophobic lipid (also known as fat) molecules in water, as in blood plasma or other extracellular fluids. They consist of a triglyceride and cholesterol center, sur ...

Angiotensinogen Angiotensin is a peptide hormone that causes vasoconstriction and an increase in blood pressure. It is part of the renin–angiotensin system, which regulates blood pressure. Angiotensin also stimulates the release of aldosterone from the adren ...

* Cortisol binding globulin * Vitamin D-binding protein

References

Blood proteins {{protein-stub