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. 2011 Mar 22;15(2):210. doi: 10.1186/cc9992

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Distribution of iron in the body. Erythrocytes contain almost two thirds of all body iron. Any blood loss may thus lead to direct iron loss. Serum iron, representing less than 1/10³of the total iron content, is very limited at any time compared to the daily amount of iron needed for erythropoiesis. Hepatocytes and tissue macrophages are the main sites of iron storage. Iron is absorbed by intestinal cells through the duodenal metal transporter (DMT-1 apical transporter) and exported into the blood circulation via ferroportin.