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The Iron Content of Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Its Subcellular Distribution: Studies on Normal, Iron‐Overloaded and Iron‐Deficient Rats
Author(s) -
Richmond Veronica S.,
Worwood Mark,
Jacobs Allan
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1972.tb07095.x
Subject(s) - differential centrifugation , mitochondrion , enzyme , cytochrome c oxidase , dietary iron , succinate dehydrogenase , chemistry , biochemistry , hepcidin , iron deficiency , biology , medicine , anemia
S ummary . Small intestinal epithelial cells from normal, iron‐loaded and iron‐deficient rats were homogenized and fractionated by differential centrifugation. The iron content of the fractions was measured together with the activities of two iron containing enzymes, succinic dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase. A comparison of the values obtained from the iron‐overloaded rats with controls showed no significant increase in either the iron content or the enzyme activities. However, the iron‐deficient rats showed a marked decrease in both. In all three cases the concentration of iron was particularly high in the mitochondrial fraction. In irondeficient epithelial cells mitochondrial enzyme activity appeared in the soluble fraction suggesting mitochondrial damage. It is suggested that body iron is reflected by mitochondrial iron status and function in the intestinal epithelial cells and that this is a factor determining cell uptake of iron from the gut lumen.