Body iron and its distribution between haem and non-haem fractions in the suckling rat

Abstract

1. Total body iron and some of its subfractions, i.e. haem iron, non-haem iron and ferritin iron, as well as ferritin were measured in groups of newborn rats and of rats aged 4,15 and 24 d.2. Iron accumulated in the rats throughout suckling, with slightly more going into the haem than into the non-haem fraction.3. Per unit body-weight, haem iron was maintained well throughout the study period but total body iron and non-haem iron were both significantly diminished at 15 d.4. Within the non-haem fraction, ferritin iron was severely diminished at both 15 and 24 d, but the non-ferritin portion of non-haem iron was increased.5. The results were interpreted in terms of the relationship between the growth of body mass and the supply of iron to the young animal.