Depot iron in the rat liver after hypertransfusion with rat erythrocytes.

In the rat liver the deposition of iron was measured after hypertransfusion with rat erythrocytes. The liver iron fractions were studied during four weeks after the hypertransfusions. In the first week the haemosiderin iron fraction increased together with the ferritin iron fraction. Most iron was deposited as ferritin iron. In the last week of the experiments, while the ferritin iron fraction still increased, the haemosiderin iron fraction decreased. At the same time plasma iron was utilized when erythropoiesis, which had been suppressed by the hypertransfusion, recommenced. It is suggest that, under these experimental conditions, liver haemosiderin iron is used in haemoglobin synthesis.