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Acid Labile Subunit

Meaning

The Acid Labile Subunit, often abbreviated as ALS, is a large, non-hormonal glycoprotein that plays a critical structural role in the circulating insulin-like growth factor system. This protein is essential for forming the high-molecular-weight ternary complex, which includes Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-I or IGF-II) and one of its binding proteins, typically IGFBP-3 or IGFBP-5. ALS is an acute-phase reactant, meaning its levels can be influenced by nutritional status and inflammation.