Intracellular iron is targeted to the mitochondria for incorporation into a porphyrin ring to form heme and cytosolic iron-sulfur proteins, including Iron Regulatory Protein 1 (IRP1). These processes are tightly regulated to prevent both excess and insufficient levels of iron and heme precursors.
Which is the main intracellular iron?
Ferritin
Is iron intracellular or extracellular?
We suggest that the iron from extracellular is metabolized in a similar fashion by developing erythroid cells as is intracellular ferritin. Following its uptake, extracellular ferritin iron is released by proteolytic degradation of the protein shell in an acid compartment.