The p24 antigen is a constituent protein of the capsid of the HIV virus. It is secreted into the blood during infection. The level of p24 antigens in the blood is used as a direct marker of virus multiplication.
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, along with numerous other biological functions.
Estradiol and progesterone belong to a family of steroid hormones with complex actions. Estradiol-17β (E2), the predominant and most biologically active estrogen, is an 18 carbon (C-18) steroid with an aromatic A-ring. It is synthesized mainly by the ovary; however, other organs and tissues, including adipose tissue, the brain (neurons, astrocytes, and microglia), cells of the immune system, and bone, are thought to produce it as well.
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, along with numerous other biological functions.
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, along with numerous other biological functions.
Activin A is a member of the TGF-β superfamily of growth factors which signals through two transmembrane serine/threonine kinase receptors
In bone metastasis, activin A produced by tumour cells acts as a stimulator of bone degradation, inhibiting osteoblast differentiation and stimulating osteoclast differentiation.
Adiponectin, an adipokine secreted by adipocytes, is a well-known homeostatic factor for regulating glucose levels, lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity through its anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and antioxidant effects. Adiponectin is one of the hormones with the highest plasma concentrations. Weight loss or caloric restriction leads to increasing adiponectin levels, and this increase is associated with increased insulin sensitivity.
Aldosterone is a mineralocorticoid hormone produced in the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex that influences water and salt regulation in the body. Aldosterone's primary function is to act on the late distal tubule and collecting duct of nephrons in the kidney, favoring sodium and water reabsorption and potassium excretion while also contributing to acid-base balance. Aldosterone is a key player in the multi-factorial regulation of salt, potassium, blood pressure, and acid-base balance.
PINP is a trimeric peptide consisting of two type 1 procollagen-α1 chains and a procollagen-α2 chain which are bonded non-covalently.
PINP has very low circadian and biological variation, is not affected by food intake, and is very stable in serum after venepuncture.