Bmp5-mutant mice exhibit mild liver iron loading under low- and high-iron conditions and impaired hepcidin responses to oral iron gavage. (A-B) Seven-week-old female Bmp5^wt and Bmp5^se mice were fed on a low-iron diet (2-6 ppm iron). After 10 days, the mice were orally gavaged with distilled water (Low Fe) or 2 mg/kg elemental iron (in the form of ferrous sulfate; Low Fe + Gavage Fe). After 5 hours, the livers were analyzed for Hamp relative to Rpl19 mRNA via qRT-PCR (A). The average of Bmp5^wt mice on a low-iron diet was set to 1. (B) Liver iron levels were analyzed using colorimetric assay. (C-D) Four-week-old female Bmp5^wt and Bmp5^se mice were maintained on a high-iron diet (High Fe, 1% carbonyl iron) for 3 weeks. (C) Liver Hamp mRNA relative to Rpl19 was analyzed via qRT-PCR. The average of Bmp5^wt mice on a high-iron diet was set to 1. (D) Liver iron levels were analyzed using a colorimetric assay. For all graphs, individual data points are shown, and bars represent mean ± SEM. For panels A-B, ∗P < .05; ∗∗P < .01 for the indicated comparisons using 2-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc test. For panels C-D, ∗P < .05 for Bmp5^se relative to Bmp5^wt mice, using Student t test.