▪ Abstract Hepcidin, a peptide hormone made in the liver, is the principal regulator of
systemic iron homeostasis. Hepcidin controls plasma iron concentration and tissue
distribution of iron by inhibiting intestinal iron absorption, iron recycling by macrophages,
and iron mobilization from hepatic stores. Hepcidin acts by inhibiting cellular iron efflux
through binding to and inducing the degradation of ferroportin, the sole known cellular iron
exporter. Synthesis of hepcidin is homeostatically increased by iron loading and decreased …