The short range order structure of ferritin core has been studied by the radial distribution function (RDF) method with its “structure analogue” and a iron(III) hydroxide oxide gel. The observed reduced RDF's, G(r)obs's, of the specimens depicted in Fig.1 have been derived by the method applied to their electron diffraction patterns. In comparison with Fig.1, Fig.2shows the calculated ones, G(r)cale's, that have been estimated on the basis of the structural models of the ferritin core and of the gel structure model (GSM).
It was found that the GSM gives G(r)cale's which is the m ost similar to that of the ferritin core except intensity correlation. This suggests that all the structure models that have been proposed to date for the ferritin core may require some modification.