Abstract
Summary
1. The distribution of total ferritin in the intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes in a control horse was compared with the corresponding distributions in 2 horses fed iron, using an immunochemical technic for determining the ferritin in extracts of the tissues in question.
2. Ferritin was found to be present in the first 11.5 feet of intestine of the control horse as well as in the last 3 feet of intestine. Small amounts of ferritin were detected in the mesenteric lymph nodes of the control animal.
3. Twenty-four hours after the oral administration of an amount of ferrous ammonium sulfate containing 30 g of iron to a second horse the total ferritin content was appreciably increased in the first 2.5 feet of intestine while 48 hours after feeding the same amount of ferrous ammonium sulfate to a third horse, there were notable increases in the amounts of total ferritin in the first 11.5 feet and in the last 3 feet of intestine.
4. Twenty-four hours after feeding iron to a second horse there was approximately a 4-fold increase in the amount of total ferritin in the mesenteric lymph nodes based on the value for the control horse, while 48 hours after feeding iron to the third horse, more than a 5-fold increase was noted, as judged by the value for the control horse.
5. The data indicate that ferritin is involved in the phenomenon of iron absorption through the intestine of the horse, and that the lymphatic system is concerned with iron absorption by some process in which ferritin also plays a role.
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