Iron reflux from reticulocytes and bone marrow cells in vitro

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Abstract
The reflux of iron from human , rabbit and rat reticulocytes and rabbit bone marrow was studied in-vitro by incubating the cells in solutions containing transferrin-bound radioiron, washing, and reincubating in nonradio-active solutions. With an initial uptake time of 1 min, 20-40% of the cell-bound radioiron was released into the reincubation medium. The degree of this reflux was dependent on the presence and concentration of transferrin in the refluxing medium, but was not affected by the degree of saturation of the transferrin with iron. With prolongation of the uptake period, smaller fractions of cell radioiron were released. By the use of different transferrins for uptake and release, it was possible to demonstrate that over 90% of the re-fluxed iron was bound to the originial transferrin rather than having been split off and then taken up by a second transferrin molecule. Results were similar for reticulocytes and nucleated red cells.