Open AccessIron, infection, and the role of bicarbonate
Author(s) -
Bullen J.J.,
Ward C.G.,
Rogers H.J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1990.tb03793.x
Subject(s) - bicarbonate , tris , transferrin saturation , transferrin , ferric , hemochromatosis , saturation (graph theory) , chemistry , biochemistry , medicine , ferritin , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , serum ferritin , mathematics , combinatorics
Ferric iron will not saturate transferrin in Tris buffer, and its use in experimental infections has been criticized. However, in the presence of bicarbonate, as in plasma, saturation occurs rapidly. This is comparable to natural iron overload, and provides a link between experimental and natural infections.