Erythropoietin

Erythropoietin is a glycoprotein hormone produced mainly by the kidneys that stimulates red blood cell production in bone marrow, especially when oxygen availability falls.

Oxygen sensing: Cellular systems detect changes in oxygen availability and adjust gene expression and physiology. Kidney cells increase erythropoietin production when oxygen sensing pathways detect hypoxia.
Red blood cell: A blood cell specialized to transport oxygen using hemoglobin. Erythropoietin increases the supply of these oxygen-carrying cells.
Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent: A medication that stimulates red blood cell production by activating erythropoietin pathways. This drug class includes manufactured forms of erythropoietin used to treat anemia.
Polycythemia vera: A clonal bone marrow disorder that produces excess blood cells, often with low erythropoietin levels. Unlike erythropoietin-driven red-cell production, it arises from autonomous marrow signaling.
Hypoxia-inducible factor: A transcription factor system that regulates genes in response to low oxygen. It activates erythropoietin gene expression when oxygen is scarce.
Hemoglobin: An iron-containing protein in red blood cells that binds and transports oxygen. More erythropoietin-driven red cells generally increase the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity.
Chronic kidney disease: A long-term decline in kidney structure or function. Damaged kidneys may produce too little erythropoietin, contributing to anemia.
Anemia: A condition in which blood has reduced oxygen-carrying capacity, commonly due to low red-cell mass or hemoglobin. Erythropoietin deficiency is one cause among many, so anemia does not always respond to it.
Erythropoiesis: The process by which hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells produce mature red blood cells. Erythropoietin's principal biological effect is to increase this process.
Bone marrow: The tissue inside bones where blood cells are produced. Erythropoietin acts primarily on red-cell precursors in this tissue.

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