Nrf

Nrf, or NRF, is an abbreviation used for several distinct concepts in biology, electronics, and commerce. In molecular biology, Nrf refers to the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor family, a group of transcription factors that regulate cellular responses to oxidative and metabolic stress. The family includes Nrf1 (NFE2L1), Nrf2 (NFE2L2) and Nrf3 (NFE2L3). Nrf2 is the best characterized member and a central regulator of antioxidant and detoxification genes, while Nrf1 and Nrf3 have roles in proteasome gene expression, development, and signaling, though their functions are less clearly defined.

In electronics, nRF is a prefix used by Nordic Semiconductor on wireless microcontrollers and systems on a chip. The designation signals radio-frequency capabilities and is used on products such as the nRF51 and nRF52 series, which support Bluetooth Low Energy, Thread, and other 2.4 GHz protocols. These chips are widely employed in Internet of Things devices, wearables, and sensor networks, where compact power-efficient wireless performance is required.

NRF, in organizational contexts, refers to several bodies, including the National Retail Federation, a U.S.-based trade association representing retailers and their partners; and the National Research Foundation, a publicly funded research-support agency in various countries, notably South Africa. Other uses exist for regional science and policy bodies. Because NRF/Nrf can denote multiple, unrelated entities, the intended meaning is usually clear from context.