American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 12, 77-87, Copyright © 1963 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

The Utilization of Iron in Erythropoiesis

¹ From the Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri

In this examination of iron utilization in erythropoiesis, attention has been focused on the following points: the mode of delivery of iron to the bone marrow from sites of absorption and storage; the efforts to quantify iron kinetics in erythropoiesis; the concept of "effective" and "ineffective" erythropoiesis; the possible role of ropheocytosis in supplying iron to bone marrow erythrocyte precursors; the greater participation of transferrin-bound iron in supplying iron to erythroblasts; and the synthesis of hemoglobin in developing red cells. These concepts are then applied to an understanding of the abnormalities of erythropoiesis in lead poisoning, thalassemia and refractory sideroblastic anemia.