Description
Folate receptor alpha binds to folate and reduced folic acid derivatives, facilitating the transport of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and folate analogs into cells. In mice, Folr1 plays a crucial role in folate transport and is essential for embryonic development, nervous system maturation, and kidney metabolism. Folr1 is expressed in the neuroepithelium, neural crest cells, and endodermal cells of mouse embryos, which are critical for neural tube closure. Mice lacking Folr1 exhibit severe neural tube defects (NTDs) such as craniofacial malformations, heart defects, and skeletal abnormalities