Liver iron content and ⁵⁹Fe absorption in control mice and mice with dietary iron loading.

(A) Comparison of liver iron content in 5-week-old mice maintained on a control diet or a 2% carbonyl iron–supplemented diet for 6 weeks. (B) Five-week-old mice were maintained on a control diet or a 2% carbonyl iron–supplemented diet for 6 weeks. ⁵⁹Fe was administered by gavage and percentage administered iron absorbed was determined as described in “Materials and methods.” Genotypes are as defined in Figure 1. Open bars indicate control diet; shaded bars, carbonyl iron diet. Error bars represent SEM. The number of animals in each group is shown above columns. * P < .04 compared with wild-type mice maintained on the carbonyl iron diet.