In: Anatomy and Physiology
Iron is one of the main ion necessary for body. We know hemoglobin is essential for the oxygen transfer. Heme is a major component of hemoglobin and need iron to form heme. The iron metabolism is the homeostasis process in which iron level is controlled. The iron in the food is absorbed in the form of Fe3+. It complexes with ferritin to form ferroportin and reach the blood as transferrin. It reaches the erythroid marrow for heme synthesis. There it converts to Fe2+. The iron in the body is also used by the mytichondria for ETC cycle as Fe-S complex. In heme formation the Fe2+ is used by the protoporphyrin 9 in the presence of Ferrochelatase to form heme. The heme synthesis steps are giving below.