title: Molecular mechanism of intestinal iron absorption.
abstract: Iron is an essential trace metal in the human diet because of its role in a number of metabolic processes including oxygen transport. In the diet, iron is present in two fundamental forms, heme and non-heme iron. This article presents a brief overview of the molecular mechanisms of intestinal iron absorption and its regulation. While many proteins that orchestrate iron transport pathway have been identified, a number of key factors that control the regulation of iron absorption still remain to be elucidated. This review also summarizes new and emerging information about iron metabolic regulators that coordinate regulation of intestinal iron absorption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 110 Chandlee Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA. ouh1@psu.edu
authors.forename: Okhee
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D006418:Heme / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D058085:Iron Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000378:metabolism*; D035925:Iron-Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular
chemical_list: D058085:Iron Compounds; D019266:Iron, Dietary; D035925:Iron-Regulatory Proteins; D006418:Heme