Ferroportin-mediated iron transport: Expression and regulation

The distinguishing feature between iron homeostasis in single versus multicellular organisms is the need for multicellular organisms to transfer iron from sites of absorption to sites of utilization and storage. Ferroportin is the only known iron exporter and ferroportin plays an essential role in the export of iron from cells to blood. Ferroportin can be regulated at many different levels including transcriptionally, post-transcriptionally, through mRNA stability and post-translationally, through protein turnover. Additionally, ferroportin may be regulated in both cell-dependent and cell-autonomous fashions. Regulation of ferroportin is critical for iron homeostasis as alterations in ferroportin may result in either iron deficiency or iron overload. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cell Biology of Metals.

► Ferroportin is the only known iron exporter.
► Malregulation of ferroportin leads to human disease, iron limitation or iron overload.
► Ferroportin is regulated transcriptionally, post-transcriptionally, and post-translationally.
► Post-translational regulation can occur by hepcidin-dependent and hepcidin-independent mechanisms.