Iron input and output
Iron Metabolism

Iron transport is strictly regulated by specific carriers at any level:

Input at the body level

• Diet Iron
• Ascorbic Acid

Serum Transport

Iron, insoluble as free Fe(3+) and toxic as free Fe(2+), is distributed through the body as Fe(3+) bound to transferrin (Tf) for delivery to cells by endocytosis of its complex with transferrin receptor. Iron released from the enterocyte basolateral membrane is sequestered by Tf and transported to sites of utilization and storage. Epatocytes are the major storage site of iron.

• Siderophores
  • Transferrin
  • Melanoferrin
  • Lactoferrin

Uptake into the cell

The metabolically active cytoplasmic iron is defined as transit/labile iron pool (Iron Crossroad) and it is very short lived. Its fate is, according to local conditions:

• storage into ferritin
• incorporation into active proteins
• uptake into mitochondria.

Release from the cell

Output at the body level