TF and brain ischemia: The acidic environment in brain tissue following cerebral ischemia can inhibit the binding of iron to transferrin, leading to iron disassociation from transferrin.[245] The neurons easily take up this unbound iron, causing intracellular iron elevation.[246] In the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) ischemic stroke model, increased accumulation of iron in cells along the lesion border is detected at 72 h after stroke.