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Dietary iron absorption takes place at the apical membrane of mature enterocytes. In hereditary hemochromatosis, increased iron absorption leads to the gradual accumulation of iron to levels that eventually become toxic. The iron regulatory protein HFE has been implicated in this process (1).
Enterocyte iron absorption mechanismsClick on a protein (in blue) to learn more.
Intestinal Iron Absorption
In both primary
and secondary iron overload, serum
ferritin >1000 mcg/L
is associated with worsened prognosis.
After its enzymatic reduction from Fe+3 to Fe+2, iron is imported into the cell by the divalent metal transporter protein (2). Iron can either be stored within the cell as ferritin, or transferred into the blood at the basolateral membrane by ferroportin (IREG1) (3). Plasma-borne iron binds to transferrin, and is available for distribution via the blood.
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