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Serum Amyloid A

Meaning

Serum Amyloid A (SAA) is a family of acute-phase reactant proteins synthesized primarily by the liver in massive quantities in response to inflammatory stimuli, acting as a sensitive, non-specific biomarker of systemic inflammation. Its concentration in the blood can increase up to a thousand-fold during acute inflammation, infection, or tissue injury. While its precise physiological function is still being elucidated, SAA is implicated in cholesterol metabolism and immune cell recruitment. Chronically elevated SAA levels are clinically significant, as they can lead to the pathological deposition of amyloid fibrils, resulting in secondary amyloidosis.