Tf treatment of wild-type and hpx mice. Eight-week-old wild-type (wt) and hpx mice were injected intraperitoneally with 10 mg human Tf (TF; 0.3 mL total volume) every other day for 3 weeks. Reticulocyte counts (A), spleen masses (as percent of total body mass; B), hemoglobin levels (C), liver hepcidin levels relative to β-actin levels as measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR; D), total spleen iron (Fe) levels (E), and liver Fe concentrations (F) were determined from animals harvested at 0, 1, 2, and 3 weeks. Total spleen Fe levels were determined by multiplying spleen mass by spleen iron concentration. Each data point represents 3 mice. A ‘#’ above a data point indicates that the values for wild-type and hpx mice differ significantly for that time point (t test, P < .05); a ‘*’ above a data point indicates that the value at that time point differs significantly from the value at day 0 for that genotype or treatment group. Bars indicate 1 SD.