The intestinal heme transporter revealed.
The iron-containing porphyrin heme provides a rich source of dietary iron for mammals. The fact that animals can derive iron from heme implies the existence of a transporter that would transport heme from the gut lumen into intestinal epithelial cells. In this issue of Cell, Shayeghi, McKie, and co-workers (Shayeghi et al., 2005) now describe a heme transporter that is expressed in the apical region of epithelial cells in the mouse duodenum. Their identification of heme carrier protein 1 (HCP1) provides a major missing piece in our understanding of iron uptake and mammalian nutrition.
Rouault
Tracey A
TA
Cell Biology and Metabolism Branch, NICHD, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
D000818:Animals; D004386:Duodenum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006418:Heme / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008665:Metalloporphyrins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology
D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008665:Metalloporphyrins; D006418:Heme; D007501:Iron