Iron is a mineral required by every living cell for DNA synthesis, oxygen transport, and respiration. Iron's ability to accept and donate electrons allows it to shuttle between ferrous (Fe2+) and ferric (Fe3+) oxidation states and is essential for its participation in a number of enzymatic reactions.

Despite the importance of iron to living cells, it can also be toxic. Iron catalyzes the formation of free radical ions, and therefore under physiologic states does not exist unbound to proteins or heme. Causes of iron overload include the repeated blood transfusions that are required to manage certain chronic anemias, . . . [Full Text of this Article]


Regulation of iron homeostasis
 

Hereditary hemochromatosis and other iron overload syndromes
 
HFE hemochromatosis
Epidemiology and pathophysiology
Diagnosis
Clinical presentation
Treatment
Screening
Other forms of hemochromatosis
Ferroportin disease
Other causes of iron overload
Iron chelation therapy

The porphyrias
 
Acute porphyrias
Metabolic defects
Acute intermittent porphyria
Hereditary coproporphyria
Variegate porphyria
ALA dehydratase deficiency
Clinical features
Diagnostic algorithm
Treatment
Nonacute or cutaneous porphyrias
Porphyria cutanea tarda
Metabolic defect
Clinical features
Treatment
Erythropoietic protoporphyria
Metabolic defect
Clinical features
Therapy
Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (Gunther disease)
Metabolic defect
Clinical features
Treatment