Figure 1. Hepcidin has a central role in maintenance of iron homeostasis.

Hepcidin synthesis is regulated at the transcriptional level by multiple stimuli. Intracellular and extracellular iron concentrations increase hepcidin transcription, as does inflammation, whereas increased erythropoietic activity suppresses hepcidin production. In turn, hepcidin regulates plasma iron concentrations by controlling ferroportin concentrations on iron-exporting cells including duodenal enterocytes, recycling macrophages of the spleen and liver, and hepatocytes.