Iron metabolism--a study of different kinetic models in normal conditions

Abstract

Calculation of iron flux in the organism with the aid of kinetics of radioiron injected in plasma needs the establishment of a metabolic model. In normal conditions the fall-off curve of plasma radioactivity is biexponential; this fact requires the existence of a dynamic compartment in equilibrium with the plasma. In vitro and in vivo experimentation leads to the choice of a mamillary model; the exchangeable compartment, kinetically homogeneous, would be diffuse in the whole organism (marrow, liver, spleen, intestine), Kinetic analysis of in vivo red cells uptake of radioiron is in accordance with the validity of such a model.