| [ Summary ] |
Iron is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and then delivered into the liver via the portal vein. The liver can store excess iron. Moreover, the liver produces transferrin, which is the iron transporter in the serum, and hepcidin, which regulates iron metabolism. Therefore, the liver is an important organ for iron metabolism. Iron is essential for all living organisms, but excess iron will cause cellular damage. Therefore, iron metabolism must be closely regulated. Occasionaly, iron overloads can occur when the regulation of iron is disrupted. In iron overload, iron preferentially deposited in the liver and damages it. Hereditary hemochromatosis, is a condition in which in the genes related to iron metabolism are mutated. Secondary iron overloads may be caused by other factors. Early diagnosis and prevention of iron accumulation in the liver lead to improved clinical manifestations and improved prognoses for iron overload. Dietary restriction of iron, phlebotomy, and iron chelators are used to reduce iron content in the body. The oral iron chelator, ICL670, will soon be introduced for clinical fields, and is expected to be a useful tool for iron reduction in patients with iron overloads. |