An Overview of Molecular Aspects of Iron Metabolism

Abstract

Iron (Fe) is an essential, but potentially noxious, metal for almost all organisms. Its precise cellular regulation is necessary to ensure synthesis of numerous iron-containing proteins required for metabolic processes yet at the same time avoiding the build-up of potentially toxic levels of iron. In humans, iron-deficiency results in anemia, while excess iron can lead to organ damage as a result of a build-up of non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI). In recent years, the cloning of novel proteins has clarified the mechanisms of iron uptake, storage and metabolic regulation. Our current knowledge of the molecular aspects of mammalian iron metabolism and NTBI are presented in this review.

The Cytoplasmic Domain of Transferrin Receptor 2 Dictates Its Stability and Response to Holo-transferrin in Hep3B Cells

“…Iron is an essential but potentially noxious metal for almost all organisms (16). Therefore, iron uptake into cells and body is tightly regulated.…”

The Effects of a Vegetarian Diet on Iron Status in Female Students

“…Iron plays a role in the binding and transport of oxygen through the red blood cells (Beard, 2001;Syed, Sargent, Farnaud, & Evens, 2006). For each hemoglobin molecule, approximately 300 million in each red blood cell, there are four globular proteins containing one heme group.…”

“…Cytochrome P-450 can transform water insoluble drugs and organic molecules in the liver into more water soluble molecules that can be secreted in the bile and eliminated (Mahan & Escott-Stump, 2004). Other functions include sulfur enzymes that can act as electron carriers via iron bound to sulfur atoms and cysteine side chains (Beard, 2001) and ribonucleotide reductase enzymes which are involved in DNA synthesis (Syed et al, 2006;Mahan & Escott-Stump, 2004). One researcher points out that the activity of many of these enzymes decrease during iron deficiency (Beard, 2001).…”

“…Heme iron, unlike nonheme iron, is highly bioavailable and readily absorbed (Syed et al, 2006). Heme iron has an intact ferroporphyrin ring, which is absorbed across the brush border membrane of the duodenal and proximal jejunum enterocytes (Frazer & Anderson, 2005;Mahan & Escott-Stump, 2004;Syed et al, 2006).…”

“…Heme iron has an intact ferroporphyrin ring, which is absorbed across the brush border membrane of the duodenal and proximal jejunum enterocytes (Frazer & Anderson, 2005;Mahan & Escott-Stump, 2004;Syed et al, 2006). After the heme enters the cytosol, the ferrous iron is enzymatically removed from the ferroporphyrin complex, by heme oxygenasis (Mahan & Escott-Stump, 2004;Syed et al, 2006).…”