Section on Human Iron Metabolism

Head: Tracey A. Rouault

Tracey Rouault's Section on Human Iron Metabolism uses mouse models and tissue culture to study mammalian iron metabolism. Rouault previously identified and characterized two major cytosolic iron-regulatory proteins (IRPs). Targeted deletion of each IRP in mice revealed that misregulation of iron metabolism owing to loss of IRP2 causes functional iron deficiency, erythropoietic protoporphyria, anemia, and neurodegeneration in animals. The section also focuses on mammalian iron-sulfur cluster assembly because of its relevance to IRP1 regulation. Researchers characterized numerous mammalian genes involved in iron-sulfur cluster synthesis and developed in vitro and in vivo methods to assess cluster biogenesis. The section's discoveries may promote understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, especially Parkinson's disease and Friedreich ataxia, and hematologic disorders such as refractory anemias and erythropoietic protoporphyria.  

Resources

• Employee Listing
• E-Mail the Lab: trou@helix.nih.gov
• SHIM Home Page