title: Mobilferrin is an intermediate in iron transport between transferrin and hemoglobin in K562 cells.
abstract: Iron is bound to transferrin in the plasma. A specific receptor on the cell surface binds transferrin and internalizes transferrin and the iron in clathrin-coated pits. These invaginate to form vesicles which release iron to the cytoplasm. Inorganic iron can be transported by an alternative pathway from iron citrate, utilizing a cell surface integrin and a cytoplasmic protein mobilferrin. This article shows that the two pathways donate iron to mobilferrin which acts as an intermediate between the iron bound to transferrin and the incorporation of iron into hemoglobin. Mobilferrin is found associated with the transferrin containing vesicles, and becomes labeled with iron released from transferrin in the vesicles. Mobilferrin is also found in the cytoplasm where pulse-chase experiments show that it, in turn, releases iron to be used for the synthesis of hemoglobin.
authors.affiliation: University of South Alabama, Mobile 36688, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Umbreit
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heiman
mesh_terms: D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002951:Citrates / Q000378:metabolism; D003034:Coated Pits, Cell-Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D018699:Coated Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002951:Citrates; D006454:Hemoglobins; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D014168:Transferrin; C085511:mobilferrin; D007501:Iron