Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3 (FABP3) is a small cytoplasmic protein (15 kDa) that is released from cardiac myocytes following an ischemic episode. Like the nine other distinct FABPs that have been identified, FABP3 is involved in active fatty acid metabolism where it transports fatty acids from the cell membrane to mitochondria for oxidation. FABPs are divided into at least three distinct types, namely the hepatic-, intestinal- and cardiac-types. They form 14-15 kDa proteins and are thought to participate in the uptake, intracellular metabolism and/or transport of long-chain fatty acids. They may also be responsible in the modulation of cell growth and proliferation. The FABP3 gene contains four exons and its function is to arrest growth of mammary epithelial cells. This gene is also a candidate tumor suppressor gene for human breast cancer. FABP3 is a sensitive biomarker for myocardial infarction and can be detected in the blood within one to three hours of onset of pain.