Studies in Iron Transportation and Metabolism. I. Chemical Methods and Normal Values for Plasma Iron and “Easily Split-Off” Blood Iron

Studies in Iron Transportation and Metabolism. Iv. Observations on the Absorption of Iron From the Gastro-Intestinal Tract 12

“…It is natural, then, to expect that a rise in serum iron would be reflected by a rise of that metal in the lymph. Experimental confirmation of that postulate was obNwmbutal niae5thesia.. 1 When colloidal ferric hydroxide was used, however, the immediate rise was comparatively small and the rate of disappearance rapid enough to be complete within 10 to 15 minutes. This result is not surprising since it has been known for a long time that colloidal ferric hydroxide is taken up by the reticulo-endothelial cells (36, 37).…”

“…It is entirely possible, as these authors suggest, that other iron containing pigments, degradation products of hemoglobin, are likewise present in the peripheral blood; but since these substances are closely related, physiologically at least, to Barkan's " pseudo-hemoglobin," they may be considered together with the latter as forming one type of blood iron compound. Serum or plasma iron is present in the relatively minute quantities of 50 to 180 micrograms per cent; its chemical nature is in question, but it probably is part of a complex radical, in the ferric state of ionization, in combination with serum globulin (1); the function of serum iron, as has been stated, is apparently that of iron transportation.…”

“…Demonstration has already been made of the facts that: (1) under basal conditions of iron intake and utilization, hourly variations in the serum iron level are comparatively slight (3); and (2) following the oral administration of a single large dose of various of the iron salts, there is a prompt rise in the serum iron fraction (2). This increase is apparent within the first half hour, reaches its maximum in 21/2 to 5 hours, and then gradually falls to approximate the basal level by the end of 12 hours.…”

“…The following statement is made (26, p. The collection of serum specimens and the technic of quantitative iron analyses were carried out in the manner previously described (1,3).…”

“…Her uterine bleeding was successfully controlled during the period of study by the use of " antuitrin-S." Iron was given in therapeutic amounts and the hypochromia of her red blood cells corrected before splenectomy was performed. Ab- (1) before therapy, (2) one week after iron medication was begun, (3) after the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration of the erythrocytes had returned to the normal range, and (4) near the end of the convalescent period following splenectomy. The increases above the basal level were essentially the same at all 4 times.…”