Endocrine Abstracts

Iron, an essential trace element for almost all organisms, has a structural or functional role in a number of proteins and enzymes. Total body iron amounts to ~35 and 45 mg/kg of body weight in healthy adult women and men, respectively. This iron is highly conserved and daily iron losses, normally only 0.5 to 2 mg via non-specific processes, are compensated for by absorption of an equivalent amount of iron from the diet. The precise regulation of cellular iron uptake and stora...