Abstract
A method for the isolation in high yield of the iron
storage protein ferritin has been developed which has reduced
to a minimum the chance of discriminating against either low
iron or high iron ferritin. The procedure has "been applied
to the study of ferritin metabolism in the livers of male and
female rats during five weeks of protein deprivation.
With males more ferritin iron was found in the livers of
the protein deficient animals than the protein replete controls
which was in accord with earlier work of other investigators.
With females no difference in ferritin iron was observed
between protein deficient and control animals. Both protein
deficient males and females stored ferritin protein to
approximately similar levels as those of the controls. Protein
deficient males increased the average number of iron atoms per
molecule of protein significantly above that of their protein
replete counterparts, whereas the average iron content for
protein deficient and normal females was similar. The average
iron content of protein deficient males approached that of the
females, A close relationship between liver ferritin iron and
protein has been shown which substantiates other previously
reported evidence for a sex difference in iron storage.
Moreover it has been shown that in protein deficiency iron
storage in the male closely resembles that of the female.
A method for the isolation in high yield of the iron
storage protein ferritin has been developed which has
reduced to a minimum the chance of discriminating against
either low iron or high iron ferritin. The procedure has
been applied to the study of ferritin metabolism in the
livers of male and female rats during five weeks of
protein deprivation.
With males more ferritin iron was found in the livers
of the protein deficient animals than the protein replete
controls which was in accord with earlier work of other
investigators. With females no difference in ferritin
iron was observed between protein deficient and control
animals. Both protein deficient males and females stored
ferritin protein to approximately similar levels as those
of the controls. Protein deficient males increased the
average number of iron atoms per molecule of protein
significantly above that of their protein replete counter¬
parts, whereas the average iron content for protein
deficient and normal females was similar. The average
iron content of protein deficient males approached that of
the females. A close relationship between liver ferritin
iron and protein has been shown which substantiates other
previously reported evidence for a sex difference in iron
storage. Moreover it has been shown that in protein
deficiency iron storage in the male closely resembles
that of the female.
