Total Iron Binding Capacity

The body contains between 3 and 3.5 g of iron overall. About 2.5 g of this total are found in bone marrow-derived erythrocytes or their progenitors. There are just roughly 2.5 mg of iron in plasma. Fe(III) bound to the plasma protein apotransferrin is how iron is transferred. Transferrin is the name of the apotransferrin-Fe(III) complex. Normally, Fe(III) only occupies around one-third of transferrin's iron-binding sites. The unsaturated (or latent) iron-binding capacity (UIBC) is the extra quantity of iron that can be bound. Total iron-binding capacity is represented by the sum of serum iron and UIBC (TIBC). The highest iron concentration that transferrin is capable of binding is measured by TIBC. Serum TIBC varies in iron metabolism diseases. The TIBC is raised, and the transferrin saturation is decreased to 15% or less in iron-deficiency anaemia. Low TIBC and low serum iron are indicative of anaemia from infections, cancerous tumours, and long-term illnesses.