title: Iron release from isolated hepatocytes.
abstract: The isolated hepatocyte suspension was evaluated as an experimental procedure for investigating liver iron metabolism. Following prelabelling in vivo with transferrin-59Fe, isolated hepatocytes released radioactive iron in vitro by a temperature dependent process, without change in cell viability. Iron mobilization was increased by serum, apotransferrin and a range of iron chelators, of which the most effective were citrate, desferrioxamine and the ionophore A 23187. The rate of iron release was inversely related to oxygen levels, indicating that a ferric-ferrous reduction was involved in iron mobilization. The uncoupler TTFB, DTPA, and hypercapnia caused a reduction in iron release, but the metabolites cysteine, NADH and ascorbic acid had no effect. It was concluded that isolated hepatocytes are a useful experimental model for studying iron metabolism and for further evaluation of iron chelators.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001059:Apoproteins; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D007501:Iron / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D014168:Transferrin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001059:Apoproteins; D005740:Gases; D007476:Ionophores; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D014168:Transferrin; C028284:apotransferrin; D007501:Iron