Manganese homeostatic mechanism

Biliary excretion provides the major route for manganese homeostatic control (7-9) this mechanism is apparently essential when intakes are high (10). However, there is evidence that absorption can also play a role in the manganese homeostasis in cattle (11, 12) and rats (10,13). 

In view of literature data and our (in vitro) results on iron-manganese interaction, we considered it worthwhile to study the effect of iron on manganese metabolism in very young rats when absorptive, homeostatic and competitive mechanisms in the intestinal tract are not yet functioning properly or are in a developing phase. We performed experiments to see what role iron dose, duration of treatment and animals age have in iron-manganese competition at an early period of rat s life. 

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