Iron homeostasis is based on a strict control of both intestinal iron absorption and iron recycling through reticulo-endothelial system. Hepcidin controls the iron fluxes in order to maintain sufficient iron levels for erythropoietic activities, hemoproteins synthesis or enzymes function, but also to limit its toxic accumulation throughout the body. Hepcidin expression is regulated by various stimuli: inflammation and iron stimulate the production of the peptide, while anemia, erythropoiesis and hypoxia repress its production. Regulation of hepcidin expression is not so simple in complex pathological situations such as hemolytic anemia, cancer or chronic inflammation. Serum hepcidin quantification in association with the diagnostic tests currently available is quite promising for the diagnosis or the follow-up of anemia in those conditions. This study is part of the working group « Clinical interests of hepcidin quantification » of the Société française de biologie clinique.
Keywords: anemia; hepcidin; inflammation; iron.