C-reactive Protein - History and Nomenclature

History and Nomenclature

CRP was so named because it was first discovered as a substance in the serum of patients with acute inflammation that reacted with the C-polysaccharide of pneumococcus.

Discovered by Tillett and Francis in 1930, it was initially thought that CRP might be a pathogenic secretion as it was elevated in people with a variety of illnesses including cancer, however, discovery of hepatic synthesis demonstrated that it is a native protein.