Iron metabolism, iron deficiency and disorders of haem synthesis
Clara Camaschella
San Raffaele Hospital and Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorClara Camaschella
San Raffaele Hospital and Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorAdam J Mead PhD, FRCP, FRCPath, FMedSci
Haematopoietic Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Medical Research Council Molecular Haematology Unit, Medical Research Council Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Search for more papers by this authorMichael A Laffan DM, MRCP, FRCPath
Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
Search for more papers by this authorGraham P Collins DPhil, FRCP, FRCPath
Department of Haematology, Oxford Cancer and Haematology Centre, Oxford, UK
Search for more papers by this authorDeborah Hay DPhil, MRCP, FRCPath
Nuffield Division of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Search for more papers by this authorA Victor Hoffbrand MA, DM, FRCP, FRCPath, FRCP (Edin), DSc, FMedSci
Emeritus Professor of Haematology Honorary Consultant Haematologist
University College London, London, UK
Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
Search for more papers by this authorSummary
In all cells, iron has essential functions, as energy production and DNA replication; erythroblasts are mostly utilized for haem/haemoglobin synthesis and oxygen transport. The hepcidin–ferroportin axis regulates systemic iron homeostasis, by controlling the iron efflux to plasma from sites of absorption and recycling. Increased iron demand, reduced iron intake, malabsorption and blood loss may lead to negative iron balance, depletion of iron stores and absolute iron deficiency anaemia, the commonest anaemia worldwide. Iron deficiency may be functional as occurs in inflammatory disorders where high levels of hepcidin induce macrophage iron sequestration and iron-restricted erythropoiesis. Anaemia of inflammation is the second most common anaemia worldwide. In clinics distinction between absolute and functional iron deficiency may be blurred and the two conditions may coexist in several common disorders. Diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency as well as of other rarer iron/haem disorders as sideroblastic anaemia and porphyria are the topics of this chapter.
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