Blood-tests Explained


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This website is intended to assist with patient education and should not be used as a diagnostic, treatment or prescription service, forum or platform. Always consult your own healthcare practitioner for a more personalised and detailed opinion

Ceruloplasmin


At a Glance

Why Get Tested?

To measure the amount of ceruloplasmin in the blood; to help diagnose Wilson disease; sometimes to help identify conditions associated with copper deficiencies

When to Get Tested?

When you have jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, behavioral changes, tremors, or other symptoms that a health practitioner thinks may be due to Wilson disease or, rarely, to copper deficiency; at intervals when monitoring is recommended

Sample Required?

A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm

Test Preparation Needed?

None

The Test Sample

What is being tested?

Ceruloplasmin is a copper-containing enzyme that plays a role in the body's iron metabolism. This test measures the amount of ceruloplasmin in the blood.

Copper is an essential mineral that plays a role in the regulation of iron metabolism, formation of connective tissue, energy production at the cellular level, and the function of the nervous system. It is absorbed from food and liquids by the intestines and then transported to the liver, where it is stored or used to produce a variety of enzymes.

The liver binds copper to a protein to produce ceruloplasmin and then releases it into the bloodstream. About 95% of the copper in the blood is bound to ceruloplasmin. Because of this, the ceruloplasmin test can be used along with one or more copper tests to help diagnose Wilson disease, an inherited disorder that can lead to excess storage of copper in the liver, brain, and other organs.

How is the sample collected for testing?

A blood sample is obtained by inserting a needle into a vein in the arm.

Is any test preparation needed to ensure the quality of the sample?

No test preparation is needed.

The Test