HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rolfs, A. Articles by Hediger, M. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rolfs, A. Articles by Hediger, M. A. Related Collections Review articles

Metal ion transporters in mammals: structure, function and pathological implications

Andreas Rolfs and Matthias A. Hediger

Despite the importance of metal ions in several catalytic functions, there has been, until recently, little molecular information available on the mechanisms whereby metal ions are actively taken up by mammalian cells. The classical concept for iron uptake into mammalian cells has been the endocytosis of transferrin-bound Fe³⁺ by the transferrin receptor. Studies with hypotransferrinaemic mice revealed that in the intestine mucosal transferrin is derived from the plasma and that its presence is not required in the intestinal lumen for dietary iron absorption. This suggests that, at least in the intestine, other non-receptor-mediated uptake systems exist. The molecular identification of metal ion transporters is of great importance, in particular since an increasing number of human diseases are thought to be related to disturbances in metal ion homeostasis, including metal ion overload and deficiency disorders (i.e. anaemia, haemochromatosis, Menkes disease, Wilson's disease), and neurodegenerative diseases (i.e. Alzheimer's, Friedreich's ataxia and Parkinson's diseases). Furthermore, susceptibilities to mycobacterial infections are caused by metal ion transporter defects. The pathological implications of disturbed metal ion homeostasis confirm the vital roles these metal ions play in the catalytic function of many enzymes, in gene regulation (zinc-finger proteins), and in free radical homeostasis. Recent insights have significantly advanced our knowledge of how metal ions are taken up or released by mammalian cells. The purpose of this review is to summarize these advances and to give an overview on the growing number of mammalian metal ion transporters.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. M. Molenaar, A. W. Sainsbury, M. Waters, and R. Amin High serum concentrations of iron, transferrin saturation and gamma glutamyl transferase in captive black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis) Vet Rec., May 31, 2008; 162(22): 716 - 721. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Arredondo, P. Munoz, C. V. Mura, and M. T. Nunez DMT1, a physiologically relevant apical Cu1+ transporter of intestinal cells Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, June 1, 2003; 284(6): C1525 - C1530. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Zlotkin, P. Arthur, C. Schauer, K. Y. Antwi, G. Yeung, and A. Piekarz Home-Fortification with Iron and Zinc Sprinkles or Iron Sprinkles Alone Successfully Treats Anemia in Infants and Young Children J. Nutr., April 1, 2003; 133(4): 1075 - 1080. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Rolfs, H. L. Bonkovsky, J. G. Kohlroser, K. McNeal, A. Sharma, U. V. Berger, and M. A. Hediger Intestinal expression of genes involved in iron absorption in humans Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, April 1, 2002; 282(4): G598 - G607. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Lee, M. M. O. Pena, Y. Nose, and D. J. Thiele Biochemical Characterization of the Human Copper Transporter Ctr1 J. Biol. Chem., February 1, 2002; 277(6): 4380 - 4387. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Kamunde, M. Grosell, D. Higgs, and C. M. Wood Copper metabolism in actively growing rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): interactions between dietary and waterborne copper uptake J. Exp. Biol., January 15, 2002; 205(2): 279 - 290. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Karlin, L. Brocchieri, A. Bergman, J. Mrazek, and A. J. Gentles Amino acid runs in eukaryotic proteomes and disease associations PNAS, January 8, 2002; 99(1): 333 - 338. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K.-Y. Yeh, M. Yeh, J. A. Watkins, J. Rodriguez-Paris, and J. Glass Dietary iron induces rapid changes in rat intestinal divalent metal transporter expression Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, November 1, 2000; 279(5): G1070 - G1079. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. S. Oates, C. Thomas, E. Freitas, M. J. Callow, and E. H. Morgan Gene expression of divalent metal transporter 1 and transferrin receptor in duodenum of Belgrade rats Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, June 1, 2000; 278(6): G930 - G936. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X.-Z. Chen, J.-B. Peng, A. Cohen, H. Nelson, N. Nelson, and M. A. Hediger Yeast SMF1 Mediates H+-coupled Iron Uptake with Concomitant Uncoupled Cation Currents J. Biol. Chem., December 3, 1999; 274(49): 35089 - 35094. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. O. Pena, S. Puig, and D. J. Thiele Characterization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae High Affinity Copper Transporter Ctr3 J. Biol. Chem., October 20, 2000; 275(43): 33244 - 33251. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Schwake, A. W. Henkel, H. D. Riedel, T. Schlenker, M. Both, A. Migala, B. Hadaschik, N. Henfling, and W. Stremmel Regulation of transferrin-induced endocytosis by wild-type and C282Y-mutant HFE in transfected HeLa cells Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, May 1, 2002; 282(5): C973 - C979. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]