Physiological iron transport system

The physiological iron transport system is a coordinated network of proteins and regulatory mechanisms that manage the absorption, distribution, and storage of iron throughout the body (Ganz, 2013). Central to this system are proteins such as transferrin, which transports iron in the blood, and ferritin, which stores iron safely within cells to prevent oxidative damage (NIH, 2023). The system is primarily regulated by the liver-derived hormone hepcidin, which controls the export of iron into the circulation by binding to and inducing the degradation of ferroportin (StatPearls, 2023). Clinical disorders arise when this balance is disrupted, leading to iron deficiency anemia or iron overload conditions like hemochromatosis (PubMed, 2021). Therapeutic strategies target this system by either supplementing iron to treat deficiency or using chelating agents to remove excess iron in cases of toxicity or chronic transfusion (StatPearls, 2023). Because iron is a critical cofactor for hemoglobin and various enzymes but is toxic in its free form, the integrity of this transport system is vital for systemic oxygen delivery and cellular metabolism.

Other names

Iron metabolismIron homeostasisSystemic iron transport

Iron supplements provide elemental iron to replenish intracellular ferritin stores and support the synthesis of hemoglobin in erythroid progenitor cells (StatPearls, 2023). Iron chelators bind to trivalent (ferric) iron to form stable complexes that are excreted by the kidneys or through feces, preventing oxidative damage from iron overload (PubMed, 2021).