The Reticulo-endothelial System (RES), Its Function in Phagocytosis and Iron Metabolism

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The authors measured the rate of disappearance of Fe from serum and the rates of ferritin and hemoglobin formation or incorporation of Fe into red cells after the intravenous injection of colloidal Fe. The phagocytic and iron assimilation functions of the RES can be estimated concomitantly. The smaller the quantity of Fe injected the more rapid and efficient is its incorporation into red cells. In the animals whose RES is blocked by Evans blue injection, a marked delay is observed both in the disappearance of Fe from serum, phagocytosis by the RES, and in the incorporation of Fe into red cells. But in animals treated with E. coli suspensions the disappearance of Fe from the serum is as rapid as in normal control animals whereas a marked delay in the incorporation of Fe into red cells is found, with inhibition of ferritin formation. The data indicate that the ability to phagocytosis does not always assure the effective iron assimilation by the RES.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: