Is it coincidence that iron and melanin coexist in hepatic and other melanomacrophages?
Use of a Prussian-blue histochemical method shows iron in some but not all hepatic melanomacrophages of turtle, alligator, caiman and anole. The hypothesis prompted is that melanomacrophages in general synthesize melanin to render less noxious free radicals arising from catalysis by the iron.
Henninger
J M
JM
Department of Anatomy, West Virginia University, Morgantown 26506.
Beresford
W A
WA
D000489:Alligators and Crocodiles; D000818:Animals; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008116:Lizards; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism*; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014426:Turtles
D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D008543:Melanins; D007501:Iron