IRON
It is present in bread, potatoes, green vegetables, especially spinach, lettuce, cocoa, raisins, red meat, liver, kidney, egg yolk etc.
Iron is also available in the body internally through the breakdown of old red blood corpuscles.
It is stored as ferretin in liver, spleen and intestinal mucosa.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is essential for iron absorption.
Due to deficiency of iron anaemia is caused.
Maximum in mitochondria organelle.
Maximum in liver organ.
The important functions of iron are -
(a) It is a constituent of haemoglobin, myoglobin and cytochromes. Haemoglobin transports oxygen. Myoglobin occurs in muscles and stores oxygen. Cytochromes take part in electron transport system.
(b) Iron is a component of ferredoxin, nitrogenase, catalase, peroxidase & tyrosinase.
(c) Iron is activator of enzymes nitrate reductase and aconitase.
(d) Iron is required for the formation of chlorophyll in plants.