ABSTRACT
This chapter describes using iron-dextran solutions for mechanistic studies and in models of human iron overload. Administration of excess iron in the diet may appear to be the best way of studying experimentally the mechanisms and consequences of iron overload. However, in practice, because of the tight regulatory control in normal animals, it can be difficult to produce high levels of tissue iron loading and there are often undesirable effects on growth because of the large amounts of iron required to be added to diets. Intraperitoneal dosing has the advantage of more rapid tissue equilibration, due to the large surface area of the peritoneal cavity and the rapid uptake of the iron complex by peritoneal macrophages. Iron given parenterally at first localizes in the cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system throughout the body. There is very little difference in the initial localization and tissue distribution of iron for the rodent species commonly used experimentally.
