Table 2 Iron compounds concentrations reported in the literature for different brain regions (with references and sample sizes) and the corresponding FreeSurfer labels

From: Non-invasive assessment of normal and impaired iron homeostasis in the brain

Brain Region

FreeSurfer labelsa

Age group

Transferrin [ng/μg protein]b

Ferritin [ng/μg protein]c

Iron [mg/g protein]d

Frontal CTX

1003,1012,1014,1019,1020,1027,1028,1032

younger

3.887 (N = 9)

45.349 (N = 9)

1.217 (N = 9)

older

4.097 (N = 11)

89.779 (N = 11)

1.597 (N = 11)

Caudate

11

younger

3.217 (N = 8)

60.929 (N = 7)

1.797 (N = 8)

older

4.447 (N = 8)

135.129 (N = 8)

3.347 (N = 8)

Putamen

12

younger

3.497 (N = 8)

58.639 (N = 7)

2.597 (N = 8)

older

4.477 (N = 8)

124.129 (N = 8)

4.627 (N = 8)

Substantia nigra

173

younger

2.457 (N = 8)

54.969 (N = 7)

2.927 (N = 8)

(midbrain)e

older

3.427 (N = 8)

135.129 (N = 8)

5.707 (N = 8)

Globus pallidusf

13

younger

4.827 (N = 8)

28.409 (N = 7)

7.397 (N = 8)

older

5.107 (N = 8)

215.279 (N = 8)

4.077 (N = 8)

Gray superior temporal gyrus

1001,1006,1007,1009, 1015,1016,1030,1033,1034

younger

1.845 (N = 9)

25.655 (N = 9)

0.455 (N = 9)

(Temporal CTX)e

older

1.085 (N = 11)

24.205 (N = 11)

0.695 (N = 11)

White superior temporal gyrus

3001,3006,3007,3009, 3015,3016,3034,3030,3033

younger

3.825 (N = 9)

44.875 (N = 9)

0.725 (N = 9)

(Temporal WM)e

older

2.525 (N = 11)

33.505 (N = 11)

0.745 (N = 11)

Motor CTX

1017,1022,1024,1031

younger

2.915 (N = 9)

40.205 (N = 9)

1.165 (N = 9)

older

2.935 (N = 11)

22.135 (N = 11)

0.895 (N = 11)

Motor WM

3024,3017,3022,3031

younger

5.755 (N = 9)

30.385 (N = 9)

1.395 (N = 9)

older

7.345 (N = 11)

21.515 (N = 11)

1.255 (N = 11)

Occipital CTX

1011,1013,1005,1021

younger

1.755 (N = 9)

9.345 (N = 9)

0.505 (N = 9)

older

1.675 (N = 11)

34.275 (N = 11)

1.165 (N = 11)

Occipital WM

3011,3013,3005,3021

younger

3.535 (N = 9)

13.815 (N = 9)

0.805 (N = 9)

older

6.075 (N = 11)

31.385 (N = 11)

0.905 (N = 11)

  1. WM white matter, CTX cortex.
  2. aThese labels represent left-hemisphere ROIs, but the corresponding right-hemisphere labels were used as well. For each subject, we averaged the MRI measurements of both hemispheres of bilateral brain regions.
  3. bTransferrin levels were determined by ELISA7, or by SDS-PAGE and immunoassay with western blotting5. In both works transferrin levels were adjusted for total protein as determined with the Bio-Rad Protein Assay (Bio-Rad)5, 7.
  4. cFerritin levels were determined by immunoassays with slot blot technique, and were adjusted for total protein as determined with the Bio-Rad Protein Assay (Bio-Rad) in both works5, 9.
  5. dIron levels were determined by Ferrochem II Serum Iron / TIBC analyzer, and were adjusted for total protein as determined with the Bio-Rad Protein Assay (Bio-Rad)5, 7.
  6. eTo avoid very small and unreliable ROI segmentations, for the substantia nigra we used the entire midbrain, and for the gray/white superior temporal gyrus we used the entire temporal CTX/WM.
  7. fFor results when the pallidum is excluded see Supplementary Section 12.
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