Iron is an essential trace metal in the human diet due to its obligate role in a number of metabolic processes. In the diet, iron is present in a number of different forms, generally described as haem （from haemoglob...Iron is an essential trace metal in the human diet due to its obligate role in a number of metabolic processes. In the diet, iron is present in a number of different forms, generally described as haem （from haemoglobin and myoglobin in animal tissue） and non-haem iron （including ferric oxides and salts, ferritin and lactoferrin）. This review describes the molecular mechanisms that co-ordinate the absorption of iron from the diet and its release into the circulation. While many components of the iron transport pathway have been elucidated, a number of key issues still remain to be resolved. Future work in this area will provide a clearer picture regarding the transcellular flux of iron and its regulation by dietary and humoral factors.展开更多
The human body requires about 1-2 mg of iron per day for its normal functioning, and dietary iron is the only source for this essential metal. Since humans do not possess a mechanism for the active excretion of iron, ...The human body requires about 1-2 mg of iron per day for its normal functioning, and dietary iron is the only source for this essential metal. Since humans do not possess a mechanism for the active excretion of iron, the amount of iron in the body is determined by the amount absorbed across the proximal small intestine and, consequently, intestinal iron absorption is a highly regulated process. In recent years, the liver has emerged as a central regulator of both iron absorption and iron release from other tissues. It achieves this by secreting a peptide hormone called hepcidin that acts on the small intestinal epithelium and other cells to limit iron delivery to the plasma. Hepcidin itself is regulated in response to various systemic stimuli including variations in body iron stores, the rate of erythropoiesis, inflammation and hypoxia, the same stimuli that have been known for many years to modulate iron absorption. This review will summarize recent findings on the role played by the liver and hepcidin in the regulation of body iron absorption.展开更多
文摘Iron is an essential trace metal in the human diet due to its obligate role in a number of metabolic processes. In the diet, iron is present in a number of different forms, generally described as haem （from haemoglobin and myoglobin in animal tissue） and non-haem iron （including ferric oxides and salts, ferritin and lactoferrin）. This review describes the molecular mechanisms that co-ordinate the absorption of iron from the diet and its release into the circulation. While many components of the iron transport pathway have been elucidated, a number of key issues still remain to be resolved. Future work in this area will provide a clearer picture regarding the transcellular flux of iron and its regulation by dietary and humoral factors.
文摘The human body requires about 1-2 mg of iron per day for its normal functioning, and dietary iron is the only source for this essential metal. Since humans do not possess a mechanism for the active excretion of iron, the amount of iron in the body is determined by the amount absorbed across the proximal small intestine and, consequently, intestinal iron absorption is a highly regulated process. In recent years, the liver has emerged as a central regulator of both iron absorption and iron release from other tissues. It achieves this by secreting a peptide hormone called hepcidin that acts on the small intestinal epithelium and other cells to limit iron delivery to the plasma. Hepcidin itself is regulated in response to various systemic stimuli including variations in body iron stores, the rate of erythropoiesis, inflammation and hypoxia, the same stimuli that have been known for many years to modulate iron absorption. This review will summarize recent findings on the role played by the liver and hepcidin in the regulation of body iron absorption.
