Iron homeostasis in insects: Insights from Drosophila studies

Iron is essential for the survival of almost all organisms. Our current understanding of iron metabolism in different organisms suggests it is a partially conserved but not identical process. Many aspects of iron metabolism in insects remain poorly understood. This review summarizes what we know so far about insect iron homeostasis, including dietary iron absorption, iron transport and storage, as well as homeostasis regulation. New findings made in the model organism Drosophila are emphasized and their implications discussed.