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Disorders of Mineral Metabolism

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Dermatology

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Abstract

Iron is a common but crucial element in the body. The average adult has 4–5 g of iron, absorbing about 1 mg daily and losing a similar amount. Iron is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and attached to transferrin. It is then distributed to the peripheral tissues. About two-thirds of the iron is involved in red cell production, either in the bone marrow or in circulating erythrocytes. The rest is incorporated into myoglobin, bound in hepatocytes or attached to the two iron storage proteins ferritin and hemosiderin. The latter two proteins are stored in the liver, spleen and bone marrow, where they offer iron stores that can be readily mobilized. Ferritin consists of ferric salts and apoferritin; it is water soluble. Hemosiderin is insoluble, dark brown and usually found in macrophages; it consists of altered ferritin complexes. Hemosiderin is seen in the skin following leakage of blood into the dermis, because the dermal scavengers only slowly and inefficiently remove iron stores.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Frauenlobstraße 9-11, D-80337, Munich, Germany

    Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c.mult. Otto Braun-Falco (Emeritus Professor and Chairman), Prof. Dr. med. Gerd Plewig (Professor and Chairman) & Walter H. C. Burgdorf M.D. (Clinical Lecturer)

  2. Department of Dermatology and Venerology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23562, Lübeck, Germany

    Prof. Dr. med. Helmut H. Wolff (Professor and Chairman)

Authors
  1. Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c.mult. Otto Braun-Falco
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  2. Prof. Dr. med. Gerd Plewig
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  3. Prof. Dr. med. Helmut H. Wolff
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  4. Walter H. C. Burgdorf M.D.
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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Braun-Falco, O., Plewig, G., Wolff, H.H., Burgdorf, W.H.C. (2000). Disorders of Mineral Metabolism. In: Dermatology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-97931-6_46

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-97931-6_46

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-97933-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-97931-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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