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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

The Caco-2 Cell Bioassay for Measurement of Food Iron Bioavailability
Published on: April 28, 2022
The use of solubility, dialyzability, and Caco-2 cell methods to predict iron bioavailability
Susan Fairweather-Tait1, Ian Phillips, Gary Wortley
1University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK. s.fairweather-tait@uea.ac.uk
Abstract:
An update on in vitro methods employed to assess iron bioavailability is presented. Solubility and dialyzability are not useful predictors of iron absorption, whereas Caco-2 cell models provide useful comparisons on the availability of iron from different sources. Strengths and weaknesses of in vitro approaches are briefly described, including the need to characterize Caco-2 cells in order to interpret results correctly. Further developments are required to refine Caco-2 model systems, including optimization and standardization of methods.
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