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Iron Absorption: Present State of the Art
Author(s) -
Jacobs A.,
Worwood M.
Publication year - 1975
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.1365-2141.1975.tb00902.x
Subject(s) - ferritin , transferrin , chemistry , intracellular , small intestine , biochemistry , mitochondrion , iron status , iron isotopes , cell fractionation , microbiology and biotechnology , biophysics , iron deficiency , biology , medicine , anemia , enzyme , physics , isotope , quantum mechanics
S ummary . The availability of food iron is one of the major factors determining the total amount of iron absorbed. Iron is released from food in the stomach in an ionizable form or as haem. These forms are affected differently by both the composition of the diet and gastrointestinal secretions. Iron is taken up by the epithelial cells of the small intestine and is released from haem in the same cells. This uptake may be related to the iron status of the cells. Iron transport within these cells has been studied by both subcellular fractionation and electron microscopy with autoradiography. The biochemical studies have shown that much of the mucosal iron is associated with the mitochondria whereas absorbed radioiron is largely bound to ferritin in iron replete rats and to a transferrin‐like protein in iron deficient animals. It has been suggested that this latter protein is the intracellular ‘carrier’of iron. Serosal transport to the plasma is influenced by a number of factors and is not clearly understood. A review of the major problems in this area reveals more questions than answers.