Role of Hepcidin in Iron Metabolism and Potential Clinical Applications

Systemic control of iron homeostasis depends largely on hepcidin, a peptide hormone discovered just over 10 years ago. The discovery of hepcidin has stimulated renewed research interest in iron metabolism and iron-related disorders, emphasizing the importance of this hormone in many normal and pathologic processes. This article provides a brief review of physiologic iron homeostasis, describes hepcidin's structural and functional roles in physiologic and pathophysiologic iron-related processes, reviews important studies of hepcidin in veterinary species, and explores the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of hepcidin in human and veterinary medicine.