Gastrointestinal iron absorption pathway

The gastrointestinal iron absorption pathway is a complex physiological system responsible for the uptake of dietary iron to maintain systemic iron balance [1.1.2, 1.2.3]. This process primarily occurs in the duodenum, where ferric iron is reduced by duodenal cytochrome B (Dcytb) and transported into enterocytes by divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) [1.1.1, 1.2.5]. Iron is then exported into the blood via ferroportin, the only known mammalian iron exporter, which is regulated by the hormone hepcidin [1.2.2, 1.3.1]. Hepcidin acts as a master regulator by inducing the internalization and degradation of ferroportin, thereby reducing iron absorption during states of iron sufficiency or inflammation [1.3.2, 1.4.2]. Dysregulation of this pathway is central to the pathogenesis of iron deficiency anemia and iron overload disorders like hereditary hemochromatosis [1.2.1, 1.2.3]. Consequently, components of this pathway are major therapeutic targets for iron supplements, chelators, and novel hepcidin-modulating therapies [1.3.2, 1.3.3].

Other names

Intestinal iron absorptionDuodenal iron transportIron uptake pathway

Iron supplementation, iron chelation, hepcidin agonism, hepcidin antagonism, HIF prolyl hydroxylase inhibition, and gastric acid suppression.