Iron distribution
[KB2:p199-p201]
Body iron distribution
Total body iron
= 3500 to 3700 mg in a 70kg man
= 2000 to 2500 mg in female
- Less in female due to menses, lower weight, and lower Hb level
- Nearly all iron in body is bound with protein
- All cells require iron
* e.g. cytochrome c for oxidative phosphorylation
3 pools of iron
Functional pool
- Haemoglobin
= 65-70%
= 2500 mg
- Myoglobin
= 3-5%
= 130 mg
- Other proteins
= 0.2%
= 8 mg
Transport pool
- Transferrin
= 0.1%
= 4 mg
Storage pool
- Ferritin
= 25-30%
= 1000 mg
NB:
- Liver is the major site of ferritin storage
- Spleen, bone marrow, and reticuloendothelial macrophages are also sites of ferritin storage
- [PK1:p240] 65% of stored iron is in the form of ferritin
- [PK1:p240] 35% of stored iron is in the form of haemosiderin
