What is hemosiderin?
A) The part of iron that is not used by the body
B) Another term for ferritin
C) A protein that carries iron in the blood
D) An enzyme that helps in absorption of iron
E) A storage protein for iron

Question

What is hemosiderin? 
A) The part of iron that is not used by the body 
B) Another term for ferritin 
C) A protein that carries iron in the blood 
D) An enzyme that helps in absorption of iron 
E) A storage protein for iron

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hemosiderin is a storage protein for iron, which is formed when excess iron accumulates in the body, particularly in macrophages in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. It is a complex of iron and protein that appears as golden or brown granules under the microscope. It is an important indicator of iron overload diseases such as hemochromatosis and thalassemia. A is incorrect because iron that is not used by the body is either excreted or stored as hemosiderin or ferritin. B is incorrect because ferritin is a protein that stores iron in a nontoxic, soluble, and bioavailable form, whereas hemosiderin is a less soluble and less bioavailable degradation product of ferritin. C is incorrect because transferrin is the main protein that carries iron in the blood, not hemosiderin. D is incorrect because enzymes that help in absorption of iron include heme oxygenase and ferroportin, not hemosiderin.

What Is Hemosiderin