Transplasmalemma electron transport from cells is part of a diferric transferrin reductase system

Intact cells are known to reduce external, impermeable electron acceptors. We now show that cells can reduce the iron in diferric transferrin at the cell surface and that this reduction reaction depends on the transferrin receptor as well as the transmembrane electron transport system. Reduction of external diferric transferrin is accompanied by oxidation of internal NADH which indicates that the transmembrane enzyme is an NADH diferric transferrin reductase. Highly purified liver plasma membranes have NADH diferric transferrin reductase activity which shows properties similar to the diferric transferrin reductases activity of intact cells. Cell growth stimulation by diferric transferrin and other impermeable oxidants which can react with the diferric transferrin reductase can be based on electron transport through he plasma membrane.