Hepcidin and iron regulation in health and disease.

A decade ago, hepcidin, an antimicrobial peptide with iron-regulatory properties, was discovered and proposed as playing a significant role in the pathogenesis of anemia of chronic disease. Subsequent studies have demonstrated that hepcidin is the keystone of the linked systems of iron balance and iron transport in health and in disease. The definition of the role of hepcidin and its regulation has permitted the mechanisms of disorders of iron homeostasis to be understood at a molecular level. Future studies may identify roles for hepcidin or hepcidin-related molecules in diagnosis and therapy.