Fatty acid-binding proteins, designated FABPs, are a family of homologous cytoplasmic proteins that are expressed in a highly tissue-specific manner and play an integral role in the balance between lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. FABPs mediate fatty acid (FA) and or hydrophobic ligand uptake, transport and targeting within their respective tissues. The mechanisms underlying these actions can give rise to both passive diffusional uptake and protein-mediated transmembrane transport of FAs. FABPs are expressed in adipocytes (A-FABP), brain (B-FABP), epidermis (E-FABP, also designated psoriasis-associated FABP or PA-FABP), muscle and heart (H-FABP, also designated mammary-derived growth inhibitor or MDGI), intestine (I-FABP), liver (L-FABP), myelin (M-FABP) and testis (T-FABP). MDGI is highly expressed in the myocardium, skeletal and smooth muscle fibers, lipid and or steroid synthesizing cells and terminally differentiated epithelia of the respiratory, intestinal and urogenital tracts.
