Why does total iron binding capacity increase in anaemia?

AI Thread Summary
In discussions about anemia related to iron, the role of transferrin, a protein that binds iron, is central. An increase in transferrin levels in the blood correlates with an increased total iron binding capacity (TIBC), which reflects the amount of transferrin available to bind iron. It's important to note that TIBC measures the potential binding capacity rather than the actual amount of iron currently bound to transferrin. When transferrin levels rise or iron levels drop, the fractional occupancy of transferrin decreases, meaning fewer binding sites are occupied by iron. However, this does not diminish transferrin's ability to bind additional iron. For example, if more transferrin is present, even if fewer iron molecules are bound, the overall capacity for binding can still increase. This highlights the distinction between binding capacity and the actual occupancy of iron binding sites on transferrin.
sameeralord
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Hello everyone,

In anameia related to iron, plasma tranferring increases and iron decreases. How does this increase the total iron binding capacity of the enzyme. If I draw a sample of blood, there would be some transferrin enzymes in excess lowering iron binding capacity right? Thanks :smile:
 
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Transferrin is a protein that binds iron. The more transferrin in the blood, the more iron blood can bind. Therefore, when doctor test for total iron binding capacity, they are in effect, measuring the amount of transferrin present in the blood.
 
Ygggdrasil said:
Transferrin is a protein that binds iron. The more transferrin in the blood, the more iron blood can bind. Therefore, when doctor test for total iron binding capacity, they are in effect, measuring the amount of transferrin present in the blood.

Thanks for the reply :smile: Now let's say there are 2 moles of Fe and lots of enzymes. Then 2 moles of iron would bind to the enzyme, and the other enzymes would be free of iron, so wouldn't that lower the iron binding capacity. I'm thinking iron binding capacity as the amount of iron bound protein/number of protein multiplied by 100. Thanks :smile:
 
Yes, the fractional occupancy of transferrin (percent of iron binding sites occupied by iron) would be lower if you either increase the amount of transferrin or decrease the amount of iron. However, the transferrin still retains the capacity to bind additional iron.

Total iron binding capacity is defined as the amount of iron that can be bound by the transferrin in a certain volume of blood. The definition does not involve the fractional occupancy of the transferrin.
 
Ygggdrasil said:
Yes, the fractional occupancy of transferrin (percent of iron binding sites occupied by iron) would be lower if you either increase the amount of transferrin or decrease the amount of iron. However, the transferrin still retains the capacity to bind additional iron.

Total iron binding capacity is defined as the amount of iron that can be bound by the transferrin in a certain volume of blood. The definition does not involve the fractional occupancy of the transferrin.

Right so eg if there 10 moles of Fe, and normally only 3 binded, when there are more enzymes around 7 bind so that means capacity has increased. Thanks Yggdrasil for correcting the misunderstanding :smile:
 

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