– Hepcidin is a hormone that plays a key role in regulating iron metabolism in the body. Iron metabolism is the process of maintaining the balance of iron levels in the blood and the organs.

– Iron is an essential mineral that is needed for various functions, such as making hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen in the red blood cells, and supporting the immune system. However, too much or too little iron can cause health problems, such as anemia, iron overload, or infections.

– Hepcidin controls iron metabolism by affecting the activity of ferroportin, a protein that transports iron out of the cells. Ferroportin is found on the surface of cells that store or transport iron, such as enterocytes (cells that line the intestine and absorb iron from food), macrophages (cells that recycle iron from old red blood cells), and hepatocytes (liver cells that store iron). When hepcidin binds to ferroportin, it triggers its internalization and degradation, which reduces the amount of iron that is released into the bloodstream. This lowers the serum iron level and increases the iron storage in the cells.

– Hepcidin production is regulated by various factors that reflect the body's iron status and needs.Some of these factors are:

Iron level

– When the body has enough or too much iron, it produces more hepcidin to limit further iron absorption and release. When the body has low iron, it produces less hepcidin to increase iron availability.

Inflammation

– When the body is fighting an infection or injury, it produces more hepcidin to reduce iron availability for pathogens (disease-causing organisms) and to prevent oxidative stress (damage caused by excess free radicals).

Hypoxia

– When the body has low oxygen levels, it produces less hepcidin to increase iron availability for erythropoiesis (the production of new red blood cells).

Erythropoietic activity

– When the body has high erythropoietic activity, such as during growth, pregnancy, or bleeding, it produces less hepcidin to increase iron availability for hemoglobin synthesis.

– Hepcidin is therefore a crucial hormone that maintains iron homeostasis (balance) in the body by responding to various signals and regulating ferroportin activity. By doing so, hepcidin prevents iron deficiency or excess, which can have harmful effects on health and well-being.

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