Important in metal transport, in particular iron. Can also transport manganese, cobalt, cadmium, nickel, vanadium and lead. Involved in apical iron uptake into duodenal enterocytes. Involved in iron transport from acidified endosomes into the cytoplasm of erythroid precursor cells. May play an important role in hepatic iron accumulation and tissue iron distribution. May serve to import iron into the mitochondria. Optimum pH is 5.5-6.5 for Fe(2+) uptake. Forms a complex with NDFIP1 and NEDD4L, in cortical neurons, in response to iron and colbalt exposure; this interaction leads to ubiquitination by NEDD4L and proteasome-dependent degradation. Interacts with NDFIP2. Interacts with COX2 and TOM6 at the outer mitochondrion membrane. Interacts with ARRDC1; controls the incorporation of SLC11A2 into extracellular vesicles through an ubiquitination-dependent mechanism (PubMed:27462458). Interacts with ARRDC4; controls the incorporation of SLC11A2 into extracellular vesicles through an ubiquitination-dependent mechanism (By similarity). Also found in extracellular vesicles different from exosomes. Ubiquitously expressed. Isoform 1 is highly expressed in brain. Isoform 2 is highly expressed in spleen, thymus and pancreas. Isoform 3 and isoform 4 are abundantly expressed in duodenum and kidney. Ubiquitinated by WWP2. N-glycosylated. The disease is caused by variants affecting the gene represented in this entry. NRAMP2-mediated iron uptake is markedly stimulated by nifedipine in a concentration-dependent manner. Belongs to the NRAMP family.