Iron in Biology: Molecular Structures, Cellular Processes and Living Systems

by Yoshitsugu Shiro (Editor), Hitomi Sawai (Editor), Takehiko Tosha (Editor)

Overview

Heavy metals essential to organisms are termed “biometals”. Bio-inorganic chemistry deals with the functions of biometals in vivo at an atomic to molecular level, while cellular regulation of biometals such as absorption and transport has been investigated in cell biology. Although these research fields are independently developed and matured, interdisciplinary information across these fields is required for a comprehensive understanding of the roles of biometals at atomic to molecular, cellular and organism levels.

This book focuses on iron (Fe) in cells, since it is the most abundant metal in living system and is involved in a variety of physiological events such as enzymatic reactions as catalysts and signal transduction. Both excess and shortage of iron cause serious diseases such as anaemia, cancer and neuronal degeneration. The cellular systems consisting of many specific proteins strictly control the iron contents through the iron dynamics in cells including absorption, sensing, storage, transport and usage.

Resulting from a 5-year project on Integrated Biometal Science in Japan, this book not only documents the latest research but also fills a gap between chemical understanding and our real life, by providing fundamental ideas on genetics, drugs and environmental health.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781837674404
Publisher:	RSC
Publication date:	06/13/2025
Series:	Coordination Chemistry Perspectives , #1
Pages:	356
Product dimensions:	6.15(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.00(d)

Table of Contents

• Introduction to Iron Dynamics in Human Cells
• Dysregulated Iron Dynamics in Cancer
• Ferroptosis: Iron-dependent Non-apoptotic Cell Death
• Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis: Pathophysiologic Role of Iron in Liver Fibrosis
• Iron Dynamics in Pathogens and Their Inhibition for Anti-pathogenic Drug Design
• Iron Absorption in Human Duodenum by Dcytb and DMT1　
• Regulatory Systems of Iron Homeostasis in Human Cells with a Focus on IRPs
• Molecular Mechanisms of ABC Transporters Involved in Bacterial Heme Uptake and Efflux
• Proteins Associated with Haem Catabolism for Iron Utilisation and Other Functions in Mammals and Photosynthetic Organisms
• Allosteric Regulation of Heme-containing Respiratory Enzymes for Therapeutic Implications: Cytochrome
• Oxidases and Nitric Oxide Reductases
• Proteins Related to Iron Deficiency Responses and Iron Sensing in Plant Cells
• Iron-phytosiderophore and Mechanism of Its Uptake from the Soil
• Iron Complexes as Bio-inspired Catalysts for Efficient and Selective Oxidation of Organic Compounds 
• Development of Novel Catalyst of the Oxygenase Reactions Using Artificial Iron-containing Enzymes
• Recent Advances in Synthetic Models of Nitrogenase Cofactor
• Construction of Heme and Non-heme Iron Sensor Compounds, Which are Very Useful for Live-cell Imaging
• Artificial Haemoglobin
• Techniques for Characterization of Short-lived Intermediates Appearing in Catalytic Reaction of Iron-containing Proteins
• Computational Chemistry Studies on Iron-containing Proteins Toward Understanding Underlying Mechanisms
• Statistical Insight into Heme Structure and Its Diverse Utility in Proteins