Transporter |
Location |
Function |
DMT1 (Divalent Metal Transporter 1) |
Apical membrane of enterocytes |
Transports Fe²⁺ from the intestinal lumen into enterocytes |
Cytochrome b (Cytb) |
Apical membrane of enterocytes |
Reduces Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺, facilitating its transport by DMT1 |
Ferroportin (FPN) |
Basolateral membrane of enterocytes |
Exports Fe²⁺ from enterocytes into the bloodstream |
Hephaestin |
Basolateral membrane of enterocytes |
Oxidizes Fe²⁺ to Fe³⁺ to facilitate its binding to transferrin in the bloodstream |