Erythropoietin

/ˈɜːɹɪθɹˌɒpɔɪˌɛtɪn/

/ɛˌɹɪθɹəˈpɔɪtɪn/

[noun]

Erythropoietin

[NOUN]

a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells in the body

What is "erythropoietin"?

Erythropoietin is a hormone that regulates the production of red blood cells. It is produced primarily in the kidneys in response to low oxygen levels in the blood. Erythropoietin stimulates the bone marrow to increase the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. This hormone plays a critical role in maintaining adequate oxygen supply to tissues and organs, especially during times of reduced oxygen availability or in conditions such as anemia.

Examples

1. Production of red blood cells, RBC, or erythrocytes, is stimulated by erythropoietin, EPO.

2. And erythropoietin is essentially a growth factor which stimulates the end stage differentiation of the erythroblast into the erythrocyte.

3. Meanwhile, the kidneys make more erythropoietin, a hormone that increases red blood cell production.

4. You can think of erythropoietin as an extracellular liggon just like a growth factor.