Systemic iron (Fe) (Fe)

Systemic iron refers to the total body iron pool, which is essential for vital biological processes including oxygen transport, cellular respiration, and DNA synthesis (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 2023). Iron is primarily found within hemoglobin in red blood cells, but it is also stored in proteins like ferritin and transported through the blood by transferrin (StatPearls, 2023). The regulation of this pool is a complex process involving the hormone hepcidin, which controls iron absorption and release by interacting with the exporter protein ferroportin (Ganz, T., 2013). Clinical disorders arise when iron levels are imbalanced, leading to iron deficiency anemia or iron overload conditions such as hereditary hemochromatosis (Bridges & Seligman, 1995). Therapeutic strategies involve iron supplementation to address deficiencies or the use of chelating agents like deferoxamine to remove excess iron and prevent organ damage (Crichton, R., 2016). Emerging therapies also target the hepcidin-ferroportin axis to treat disorders of iron distribution, such as anemia of chronic disease (Arezes et al., 2015).

Other names

IronIron poolIron metabolismFerric ironFerrous ironIron storage and transport proteins

Iron supplementation (replenishing stores), iron chelation (binding and excretion), and hepcidin-ferroportin axis modulation (regulating iron flow).