Our major interest is to study the structural and functional properties of proteins related to iron metabolism and their role in patho-physiology of iron metabolism disorders. We use protein-engineering technique to produce recombinant proteins, their variants and specific antibodies for them. These reagents are used to study cellular and animal models developed with the aim to clarify, at molecular level, the mechanisms of interaction between the various iron proteins to maintain iron homeostasis. The understanding of these mechanisms is important to develop new therapeutic approaches to the disorders of iron metabolism.