During pregnancy, iron is transported from mother to fetus across the placenta. Iron is essential for many biological processes, including the transfer of oxygen in blood, but it can also be toxic. Elaborate and elegant mechanisms have evolved to make sure that the potential for oxidative damage is minimized. This description of Iron pathway through the placenta, and its regulation is purposed to understand the effect of Iron deficiency or Iron overload of the mother on the fetus.
Proteins on this pathway have targeted assays available via the [CPTAC Assay Portal](https://assays.cancer.gov/available_assays?wp_id=WP2007).