Iron transport across the basolateral membrane requires the iron to bind to the membrane transport protein ferroportin.
How can iron pass through the membrane?
Reduction first solubilizes iron, and then a carrier-mediated transport mechanism moves Fe(2+) through the cell membrane.
Following this, iron is transferred intracellularly to the basolateral membrane of the enterocyte, where it is then released into the portal circulation and transferred to transferrin.
How does the body store and move iron?
50% of iron is kept in hemoglobin, which is located in red blood cells, 25% is found in ferritin, which is found in the liver, and 25% is stored in other proteins, which contain a form of heme.
Following the destruction of RBCs, iron is transferred via transferrin.
