Ferritin and hemosiderin in pathological tissues

Abstract

The biological importance of iron for most living cells has been under increasing attention during recent years. In addition to iron deficiency, iron overload has been recognized as a significant metabolic abnormality with potentially damaging consequences. The iron-storing compounds ferritin and hemosiderin have the unique quality of being ultrastructurally recognizable because of the electron-density of the iron concentrated within their particles. In this review, the electron microscopic features of iron overload are discussed, as found in various subcellular compartments and different types of cells and tissues. Defensive mechanisms against iron overload are exhibited by most cell lines and include: (1) the capacity of synthesis of the protein apoferritin by most cells whenever the concentration of ambient iron increases, (2) the capacity to bind toxic inorganic iron within the hollow shell of apoferritin; the transfer of the assembled iron-rich ferritin molecules into siderosomes and (3) the capability of further iron segregation within siderosomes by degradation of ferritin to hemosiderin. The study provides examples of cytosiderosis in different types of cells and tissues, as well as iron-related ultrastructural pathological changes.