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3D morphology of the human hepatic ferritin mineral core: New evidence for a subunit structure revealed by single particle analysis of HAADF-STEM images

Understanding the chemistry and structure of the mineral core of ferritin provides insight into its templated crystallization and bio-iron turnover; a key goal of my EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship (EP/E059678/1). We are the first to prove subunit structure in the mineral core and ongoing collaboration with Powell (now MRC Human Nutrition, Cambs) has developed a ferritin core mimetic for nutritional applications (MRC patent, EP2320884A2). Others citing this mineral-core subunit structure confirm the link to the heavy/light protein subunit ratio of the molecule's shell and use it to monitor the biodegradation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles developed for biomedical applications.