Clin Pediatr Hematol Oncol.  2018 Apr;25(1):1-9. 10.15264/cpho.2018.25.1.1.

Basic Understanding of Iron Metabolism

• Suh JK
• Jeon IS

• KMID: 2435417
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15264/cpho.2018.25.1.1

Abstract

Iron is critical for almost all living organisms because it serves as a cofactor for many proteins and enzymes necessary for oxygen and energy metabolism. Disruption of iron homeostasis is associated with a wide range of diseases. Thus mammals have developed sophisticated mechanisms to maintain optimal range of iron concentration. Iron regulation involves processes at the systemic and cellular levels. These processes are regulated by hepcidin and iron regulatory proteins. Hepcidin modulates systemic iron homeostasis with ability to impede cellular iron export via interaction with the iron export protein, ferroportin. Whereas, iron regulatory proteins control cellular iron homeostasis by translational regulation of proteins which involve iron metabolism. Recent advances in the study of iron metabolism have shown promising results that hepcidin-targeted strategies may help to improve the diagnosis and treatment of iron related diseases. Although these strategies are now under development, ongoing studies can help to elucidate its application possibilities.

Keyword

Iron metabolism; Iron metabolism disorders; Hepcidin

MeSH Terms

Diagnosis
Energy Metabolism
Hepcidins
Homeostasis
Iron Metabolism Disorders
Iron*
Iron-Regulatory Proteins
Mammals
Metabolism*
Oxygen
Iron
Iron-Regulatory Proteins
Oxygen