Aspects of iron metabolism in a freshwater mussel

Abstract

Estimations of the total iron content of tissues of Elliptio confirm that this animal concentrates iron. During starvation, tissue mass decreases more than total iron and an apparent increase in iron content results. Most iron is contained in the viscera and mantle, while muscular tissue contains least.59Fe injected into the visceral mass was rapidly translocated to the gills and mantle where much of it accumulated in tissue that acted as a 'kidney of accumulation'. The 59Fe did not become fully incorporated into the physiological iron pool in 10 days, nor was it rapidly excreted. There is little metabolic turnover of elemental iron.This iron store is much greater than needed in known enzyme systems. It may indicate hyperactivity of an uptake mechanism or the lack of an adequate excretory mechanism.