Iron Overload

Abstract

Recent investigations,' have suggested that the average amount of' usable storage iron in a normal male is about lg, values above l,5g being unusual, and above 2,2g constitute iron overload. (Weinfeld, 1970). In males about 0,4g of storage iron is present in liver. Storage iron exists in tissues in two forms, viz., as ferritin which is soluble in water and does not stain with Prussian blue, and as haemosiderin which is insoluble and does stain with this reagent. At concentrations of less than approximately 0,25mg/g wet weight of tissue the iron is in the form of ferritin and so cannot be demonstrated histologically; above this concentration granules of haemosiderin are formed and these can be seen histologically. In both of these compounds iron is in the form of a colloidal complex.