What is "parvalbumin"

n. (context protein English) A small albumin protein of the nervous system that binds calcium

Parvalbumin is a calcium-binding albumin protein with low molecular weight (typically 9-11 kDa).

It has three EF hand motifs and is structurally related to calmodulin and troponin C. Parvalbumin is localised in fast-contracting muscles, where its levels are highest, as well as in the brain and some endocrine tissues.

Parvalbumin is a small, stable protein containing EF-hand type calcium binding sites. It is involved in calcium signaling. Typically, this protein is broken into three domains, domains AB, CD and EF, each individually containing a helix-loop-helix motif. The AB domain houses a two amino-acid deletion in the loop region, whereas domains CD and EF contain the N-terminal and C-terminal, respectively.

Calcium binding proteins like parvalbumin play a role in many physiological processes, namely cell-cycle regulation, second messenger production, muscle contraction, organization of microtubules and phototransduction. Alterations in the function of parvalbumin-expressing neurons have been implicated in various areas of clinical interest such as Alzheimer's disease, age-related cognitive defects and some forms of cancer.