SCARA5 (scavenger receptor class A member 5) functions primarily as a ferritin receptor mediating non-transferrin-dependent iron delivery to cells, with emerging roles as a tumor suppressor. As a ferritin receptor, SCARA5 facilitates cellular uptake of ferritin-bound iron through endocytosis, particularly important for specific cell types during development 1. The gene is located on chromosome 8.1, a region frequently showing loss of heterozygosity in tumors 2. SCARA5 acts as a tumor suppressor through multiple mechanisms: it physically associates with focal adhesion kinase (FAK) to inhibit the FAK-Src-Cas signaling pathway, thereby suppressing cell growth, invasion, and metastasis 3. In retinoblastoma, SCARA5 suppresses proliferation and migration while promoting apoptosis by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway 4. The gene is frequently silenced in various cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer through promoter hypermethylation 563. Clinically, SCARA5 methylation serves as a potential biomarker, and Mendelian randomization studies suggest protective effects against cardioembolic stroke 1. SCARA5 has also been identified as a target of pathogenic IgM antibodies in multiple sclerosis 7.