Blood, 1959, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 423-432.
© 1959 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Ferritin and Ferruginous Micelles in Normal
Erythroblasts and Hypochromic
Hypersideremic Anemias
MARCEL C. BESSIS 1 and
JANINE BRETON-GORIUS 1
1 Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine, Paris, France.
1. All normal erythroblasts contain some iron in the ferritin form. It may
be present in either a dispersed state or in compact clusters. When large
enough, these clusters may be observed in the optical microscope: they are
the granular particles of the siderocytes.
2. Iron can be found in the mitochondria. It may exist either in the form
of ferritin granules or as ferruginous micelles.
3. In thalassemia, large quantities of iron accumulate in the erythroblasts
and are even found in the erythrocytes as ferritin, in cluster formation or
dispersed. Occasionally, iron is present in great quantities in the mitochondria
as ferritin or micelles. It seems that the various disorders encountered in
thalassemia may thus be ascertained; the disturbance in hemoglobin synthesis
results in the accumulation of the unused iron in the hypochromic erythrocytes.
4. In diseases very similar to thalassemia and in which no fetal hemoglobin
is found, i.e., the hypochromic-hypersideremic anemias (sidero-achestic anemia,
hypochromic hypersideremic anemia, lead-poisoning ), similar findings are
observed.
5. Normally, it is probable that iron metabolism occurs in the mitochondria.
In thalassemia and hypochromic hypersideremic anemias, on the other hand,
iron metabolism often appears to be "blocked" in the same areas.
Submitted on June 19, 1958
Accepted on August 10, 1958
