Iron and iron-transport pathways

Iron and iron-transport pathways represent the integrated system of proteins and regulatory mechanisms that maintain systemic and cellular iron homeostasis. Iron is a critical cofactor for hemoglobin-mediated oxygen transport, mitochondrial electron transport, and DNA synthesis (StatPearls, 2023). The pathway is primarily regulated by the hormone hepcidin, which controls iron entry into the plasma by binding to and inducing the degradation of the iron exporter ferroportin (PubMed, PMID: 23303823). Key proteins involved include transferrin for plasma transport, ferritin for intracellular storage, and the transferrin receptor for cellular uptake (UniProt, 2024). Dysregulation of these pathways is central to the pathogenesis of iron-deficiency anemia, hereditary hemochromatosis, and anemia of chronic disease (NIH, 2022). In cancer, altered iron metabolism often supports rapid cell proliferation and survival by increasing iron acquisition (Nature Reviews Cancer, 2020). Therapeutic strategies include iron salts and complexes for supplementation, iron chelators like deferoxamine for overload, and emerging agents that modulate the hepcidin-ferroportin axis (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2017). Monitoring these pathways is essential in managing chronic kidney disease and various hematological disorders.

Other names

Iron metabolismIron homeostasisSystemic iron regulationIron transport system

Pharmacological agents interact with these pathways by either replenishing iron stores through oral or intravenous supplementation, sequestering excess iron via chelation therapy, or modulating regulatory proteins like hepcidin to control systemic iron distribution (StatPearls, 2023; PubMed, PMID: 30305312).