About Hepcidin

What is hepcidin?

Hepcidin, a small 25 amino acid peptide hormone made in the liver, is the principal regulator of systemic iron homeostasis.

How does hepcidin regulate iron?

Hepcidin inhibits cellular iron transfer to blood plasma by binding to and inducing internalization of the sole known iron exporter ferroportin, which delivers iron to blood plasma from iron absorption in the intestine and iron recycling by macrophages. Hepcidin regulates extracellular iron in response to changes in dietary and systemic iron, anemia, hypoxia, inflammation, and erythropoiesis.

To learn more about iron disorders, click here >>.