| Abstract: | Injection of ferroxidase-II into copper-deficient rabbits resulted in a rapid, large, increase in the serum iron concentration which was equivalent to the increase observed when ceruloplasmin was injected into the same animals. A recently discovered serum inhibitor of ferroxidase-II, was also shown to potently inhibit ceruloplasmin. Acceleration of iron mobilization from storage tissues by dietary manipulation or repetitive bleeding of rabbits leads to a large decrease in the serum content of the inhibitor and a corresponding increase in the total serum ferroxidase activity. These studies suggest that ferroxidase-II could serve as a viable, alternative mobilizer of iron from tissue stores and that the recently discovered serum ferroxidase inhibitor could participate in the regulation of the efflux of iron from tissue stores. |
