Biomaterial Database

The role of hepcidin and ferroportin in iron absorption. 2007

P S Oates

Physiology M311, School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia. poates@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

The field of iron metabolism is moving rapidly. There have been significant advances in our understanding of how proteins carry out the process of iron absorption. The three main tissues involved in iron exchange are the enterocyte which contributes new iron to the system, the hepatocyte which stores and releases iron and the macrophages which recycles iron from effete red blood cells to the plasma. This review examines recent evidence into the function of the iron transporters divalent metal transporter and ferroportin in enterocytes. Evidence is also provided from the author's laboratory which presents an alternative hypothesis into how hepcidin a key regulator molecule might interact with ferroportin in enterocytes. It is proposed that ferroportin operates differently in enterocytes compared with macrophages. Specifically in enterocytes ferroportin appears to function in the uptake stage of iron absorption.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007249	Inflammation	A pathological process characterized by injury or destruction of tissues caused by a variety of cytologic and chemical reactions. It is usually manifested by typical signs of pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function.	Innate Inflammatory Response,Inflammations,Inflammatory Response, Innate,Innate Inflammatory Responses
D007408	Intestinal Absorption	Uptake of substances through the lining of the INTESTINES.	Absorption, Intestinal
D007413	Intestinal Mucosa	Lining of the INTESTINES, consisting of an inner EPITHELIUM, a middle LAMINA PROPRIA, and an outer MUSCULARIS MUCOSAE. In the SMALL INTESTINE, the mucosa is characterized by a series of folds and abundance of absorptive cells (ENTEROCYTES) with MICROVILLI.	Intestinal Epithelium,Intestinal Glands,Epithelium, Intestinal,Gland, Intestinal,Glands, Intestinal,Intestinal Gland,Mucosa, Intestinal
D007422	Intestines	The section of the alimentary canal from the STOMACH to the ANAL CANAL. It includes the LARGE INTESTINE and SMALL INTESTINE.	Intestine
D007501	Iron	A metallic element with atomic symbol Fe, atomic number 26, and atomic weight 55.85. It is an essential constituent of HEMOGLOBINS; CYTOCHROMES; and IRON-BINDING PROTEINS. It plays a role in cellular redox reactions and in the transport of OXYGEN.	Iron-56,Iron 56
D008264	Macrophages	The relatively long-lived phagocytic cell of mammalian tissues that are derived from blood MONOCYTES. Main types are PERITONEAL MACROPHAGES; ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES; HISTIOCYTES; KUPFFER CELLS of the liver; and OSTEOCLASTS. They may further differentiate within chronic inflammatory lesions to EPITHELIOID CELLS or may fuse to form FOREIGN BODY GIANT CELLS or LANGHANS GIANT CELLS. (from The Dictionary of Cell Biology, Lackie and Dow, 3rd ed.)	Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages,Monocyte-Derived Macrophages,Macrophage,Macrophages, Monocyte-Derived,Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages,Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophage,Macrophage, Bone Marrow-Derived,Macrophage, Monocyte-Derived,Macrophages, Bone Marrow-Derived,Macrophages, Monocyte Derived,Monocyte Derived Macrophages,Monocyte-Derived Macrophage
D011485	Protein Binding	The process in which substances, either endogenous or exogenous, bind to proteins, peptides, enzymes, protein precursors, or allied compounds. Specific protein-binding measures are often used as assays in diagnostic assessments.	Plasma Protein Binding Capacity,Binding, Protein
D011487	Protein Conformation	The characteristic 3-dimensional shape of a protein, including the secondary, supersecondary (motifs), tertiary (domains) and quaternary structure of the peptide chain. PROTEIN STRUCTURE, QUATERNARY describes the conformation assumed by multimeric proteins (aggregates of more than one polypeptide chain).	Conformation, Protein,Conformations, Protein,Protein Conformations
D006432	Hemochromatosis	A disorder of iron metabolism characterized by a triad of HEMOSIDEROSIS; LIVER CIRRHOSIS; and DIABETES MELLITUS. It is caused by massive iron deposits in parenchymal cells that may develop after a prolonged increase of iron absorption. (Jablonski's Dictionary of Syndromes & Eponymic Diseases, 2d ed)	Diabetes, Bronze,Bronze Diabetes,Bronzed Cirrhosis,Familial Hemochromatosis,Genetic Hemochromatosis,Haemochromatosis,Hemochromatoses,Iron Storage Disorder,Pigmentary Cirrhosis,Primary Hemochromatosis,Troisier-Hanot-Chauffard Syndrome,Von Recklenhausen-Applebaum Disease,Bronzed Cirrhoses,Cirrhoses, Bronzed,Cirrhoses, Pigmentary,Cirrhosis, Bronzed,Cirrhosis, Pigmentary,Disease, Von Recklenhausen-Applebaum,Diseases, Von Recklenhausen-Applebaum,Disorder, Iron Storage,Disorders, Iron Storage,Familial Hemochromatoses,Genetic Hemochromatoses,Haemochromatoses,Hemochromatose,Hemochromatoses, Familial,Hemochromatoses, Genetic,Hemochromatosis, Familial,Hemochromatosis, Genetic,Iron Storage Disorders,Pigmentary Cirrhoses,Recklenhausen-Applebaum Disease, Von,Recklenhausen-Applebaum Diseases, Von,Storage Disorder, Iron,Storage Disorders, Iron,Syndrome, Troisier-Hanot-Chauffard,Syndromes, Troisier-Hanot-Chauffard,Troisier Hanot Chauffard Syndrome,Troisier-Hanot-Chauffard Syndromes,Von Recklenhausen Applebaum Disease,Von Recklenhausen-Applebaum Diseases
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man