What is required for iron to be effectively transported from the gut to the plasma?

For effective iron transport from the gut to the plasma, ferroportin plays a crucial role. Ferroportin is a transmembrane protein that facilitates the export of iron out of enterocytes (the intestinal cells) into the bloodstream. Once iron is absorbed in the intestines, it binds to specific proteins for transport. Ferroportin serves as the principal means through which iron is transferred into the circulation, thus ensuring that iron, which is vital for various bodily functions, is delivered to where it is needed.

While hepcidin regulates ferroportin expression and affects iron absorption, its primary role is more about the control of iron availability rather than directly transporting iron. Transferrin is the protein responsible for carrying iron in the plasma after it has been absorbed into the bloodstream, but it does not facilitate the transport of iron from the gut. Ferritin, on the other hand, is a storage protein that encapsulates iron within cells, preventing free iron from being available in the bloodstream and is not involved in the transportation process from the gut.