The plasma protein found in the blood of cattle is called bovine serum albumin. It is used in medical and biochemical research. Albumin is present in meat and milk, as well as in the blood of all mammals.
What is serum albumin
This type of protein is the most common and makes up about 70% of the total protein composition of the blood. Bovine serum albumin is well studied, its concentration in the blood is 35-55 mg/ml.
The shape of this type of protein is an oblate ellipsoid, which consists of 607 amino acids. According to the spatial structure, albumin is divided into three domains, each of which includes 2 subdomains.
Protein has found wide application in laboratory practice due to its low price, easy isolation and sufficient study of properties.
How to get serum albumin
You can get BSA in the following ways:
- Blood serum is taken, water is added to it in a volume exceeding the volume of serum by 20 times. To settle the globulin, acetic acid is added. The settled liquid is filtered and neutralized with soda. Dialysis and evaporation at 40 oC releases most of the s alts.
- They release blood from an animal in a volume of several liters. It is cooled and waiting for clotting. Fresh blood should not be agitated, so the albumin production site should be chosen in close proximity to the slaughter site. After coagulation of the blood, it is cut into pieces and transferred to bowls with a bottom having holes. The draining whey is collected and evaporated at 40 oC. The rest will be albumin. Stirring will tear and spoil the product.
From 5 bulls you can get 20 liters of blood and up to 2 kilograms of albumin.
Bovine serum albumin may not be homogeneous enough, so further purification is required. The most popular method is affinity chromatography.
A method is being developed in which albumin will be isolated from prepared solutions in its pure form without low molecular weight impurities.
Allergy to albumin
Allergy to bovine serum albumin is common in childhood. Since this protein is found in all mammals, including humans, it is present in milk and animal meat.
Most often it is albumin that is the main cause of allergy to beef, but it can beculprit of allergies and milk. Also, bovine albumin is widely used in the manufacture of cosmetics. The allergenic properties of the protein are partially lost when heated, so prolonged heat treatment reduces allergenicity, but does not completely remove it.
In patients intolerant to beef, intolerance to cow's milk is often noted. An inverse relationship is also observed. In addition, bovine albumin is similar in structure to the proteins of some other animals, such as sheep. Therefore, when allergic to veal, there is a cross-allergy to other animal proteins.
Studies have shown that children with allergic reactions to milk protein are allergic to lactoglobulin - in 60%, to bovine albumin - in 50%. Skin studies gave different results: a reaction occurred in 80% of cases to lactoglobulin, while to bovine serum albumin - no more than 40%. It is known that in the presence of antibodies to certain animal proteins in the blood, a permanent allergy to bovine serum albumin is formed.
Children under 3 are most often allergic to milk protein. Manifestations are various: from skin rashes to severe lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. About 40 proteins contained in cow's milk can act as allergens. Bovine albumin makes up about 1% of the proteins found in milk and 5% in beef.
Where BSA is found
Proteins of animal origin contain proteins. They are involved in cell building, metabolism and are importantelement for any organism. For people with protein allergies, it is important to know which foods contain BSA.
The main product in terms of albumin content is cow meat. Therefore, if you are allergic to bovine albumin, you have to give up beef.
Albumin is also found in cow's milk. Here it is contained in a smaller amount, but it can also cause allergies. In boiled milk, the protein changes its structure, thereby reducing the risk of allergies.
Albumin is found in some infant formulas. Therefore, when identifying allergens, it is necessary to carefully study the composition of the food for the child.
The benefits and harms of beef
Meat contains protein and is required for the body. In the presence of an allergy to bovine albumin, the question arises of what benefits and harms beef has. Here is a list of useful qualities:
- saturates the body with energy for a long time;
- low fat;
- increases hemoglobin levels;
- increases physical endurance;
- increases mental performance.
The benefits of meat depend on the animal's feed and the use of antibiotics in the breeding process.
So, beef has many he alth benefits, but it is very allergic. This is perhaps its main drawback. Therefore, individuals allergic to bovine albumin will have to move away from bovine meat and replace it with other species.
What to do if you are allergic to albumin
When confirming an allergy to bovine albumin, it is necessary to exclude hazardous foods from the diet. You should be aware that prolonged exercise can provoke the development of gastrointestinal diseases. Diet therapy is the main way to deal with allergic reactions.
For a newborn, breast milk is the best food, but in this case, the mother should limit her intake of beef and dairy products. For artificial children, a low-allergenic mixture should be prepared in which the proteins have undergone additional hydrolysis.
The causes of allergies can be different:
- genetic predisposition;
- illness during pregnancy;
- early feeding.
BSA-specific IgE tests are highly accurate and are the most commonly used.
