Iron metabolism in placenta

During pregnancy, iron is transported from mother to fetus across the placenta. Iron is essential for many biological processes, including the transfer of oxygen in blood, but it can also be toxic. Elaborate and elegant mechanisms have evolved to make sure that the potential for oxidative damage is minimized. This description of Iron pathway through the placenta, and its regulation is purposed to understand the effect of Iron deficiency or Iron overload of the mother on the fetus.

在妊娠期间，铁质通过胎盘从母体输送到胎儿。铁质对于诸多生物过程至关重要，包括血液中氧气的传输，然而其亦可能具有毒性。为确保氧化损伤的可能性降至最低，自然界中已演化出精细而优雅的机制。本描述旨在阐述通过胎盘的铁质通路及其调节机制，并探析母体铁质缺乏或铁质过载对胎儿的影响。