ABSTRACT
Investigations of certain important aspects of iron metabolism require use of isotopic tracers. Traditionally, two radioactive isotopes of iron,
Fe and
Fe, have been used for this purpose. However, concerns about radiation exposure have limited the use of these isotopes for a wide range of important applications: dietary availability of various forms of iron (especially in infants, children, and women of child-bearing status), regulation of iron metabolism in iron overload disorders, etc. This limitation, coupled with recent advances in the analytical methods for accurate measurement of stable isotopes of iron in biological materials, has provided strong impetus for
applications of stable isotopes of iron in investigations of iron metabolism. This chapter provides a brief review of the current state of the methodology of stable isotopes as they apply specifically to investigations of iron metabolism in man and highlights some of its applications.
