[Maintenance of cellular and body iron homeostasis]

Iron is an essential nutrient being involved in numerous biological functions including oxygen transport, ATP generation, and DNA synthesis. On the other hand, excessive iron toxic to our body because it contributes to generate free radicals, which damage biomacromolecules such as nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids. Thus, maintenance of iron homeostasis at cellular as well as body level is critical for preventing our body from both iron deficiency and iron toxicity. In this manuscript, we review the mechanism underlying maintenance of cellular and body iron homeostasis and introduce recently identified hormones that regulate iron acquisition via intestine.