Gastric Mucosal Antibodies and Iron Absorption ∗

Abstract

Summary and Conclusions

Antigastric mucosal antibody reduces iron absorption in normal and anemic rats. This appears to result from the formation of large antibody-antigen complexes with the iron which are not easily absorbed. Such a mechanism might account for the idiopathic hypochromic microcytic anemia associated with complete achlorhydria and circulating parietal antibody. In this situation lack of acid might prevent degradation of the large molecules to a more easily absorbed form. A simple technique for studying iron binding in vitro was devised.