The regulation of iron metabolism in biological systems centers on providing adequate iron
for cellular function while limiting iron toxicity. Because mammals cannot excrete iron,
mechanisms have evolved to control iron acquisition, storage, and distribution at both
systemic and cellular levels. Hepcidin, the master regulator of iron homeostasis, controls
iron flows into plasma through inhibition of the only known mammalian cellular iron exporter
ferroportin. Hepcidin is feedback-regulated by iron status and strongly modulated by …