Iron excretion from the goblet cells of the small intestine in man. An additional regulatory mechanism in iron homeostasis?
Iron-excreting goblet cells were observed by chance in a patient with myelogenic leukaemia. Duodenal and jejunal biopsies from patients with a wide spectrum of disorders have therefore been examined retrospectively after staining with Perl's iron method. Thirty-seven of the patients had iron-excreting goblet cells. The presence of iron has been confirmed by X-ray microanalysis and by electron microscopic histochemistry. In addition to iron-excreting goblet cells, most of these patients had iron-containing macrophages in lamina propria. This may indicate that the two types of cells co-operate in the excretion process. It is suggested that iron excretion may be part of the common iron balance mechanism.
D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D007501:Iron