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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 21, 2007; 13(35): 4716-4724
Published online Sep 21, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i35.4716
Published online Sep 21, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i35.4716
Molecular mechanisms involved in intestinal iron absorption
Paul Sharp, Nutritional Sciences Division, King’s College London, London SE1 9NH, United Kindom
Surjit Kaila Srai, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University College London, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Paul Sharp, Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, King’s College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom. paul.a.sharp@kcl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 -20-78484481
Received: March 30, 2007
Revised: April 23, 2007
Accepted: April 29, 2007
Published online: September 21, 2007
Revised: April 23, 2007
Accepted: April 29, 2007
Published online: September 21, 2007
Abstract
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.
Keywords: Haem; Non-haem iron; DMT1; IREG1; Dcytb; Hephaestin