Ferritin - an inactive form of iron is stored in

Ferritin is a protein that is impoant in the metabolism of iron. Under normal conditions, it stores iron that can be called upon for use as conditions require. In conditions of excess iron (eg, hemochromatosis), body stores of iron are greatly increased and much more ferritin is present in the tissues, such as the liver,bone marrow and spleen. Absorption of iron: Fe3+ is conveed to Fe2+ by ferric reductase, and Fe2+ is transpoed into the enterocyte by the apical membrane iron transpoer DMT1. Heme is transpoed into the enterocyte by a separate heme transpoer (HT), and heme oxidase (HO) releases Fe2+ from the heme. Some ofthe intracellular Fe2+ is conveed to Fe3+ and bound by ferritin. Reference : Harpers 30th edition , chapter Plasma proteins and immunoglobulins.