A new research paper from the Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics has shown for the first time that macrophages regulate iron absorption in the small intestine. First author Nyamdelger Sukhbaatar, from Thomas Weichhart's lab, and all other co-authors found that activation of macrophages in the duodenum can block iron import from enterocytes by degrading the iron transport molecule transferrin. Thus, local regulation of transferrin in the duodenum could explain iron deficiency diseases.
