Erythropoietin (IPA pronunciation: , alternative pronunciations: ) or EPO is a glycoprotein hormone that is a cytokine for erythrocyte (red blood cell) precursors in the bone marrow. Also called hematopoietin or hemopoietin. It is produced by the kidney, and is the hormone regulating red blood cell production. Erythropoietin is available as a therapeutic agent produced by recombinant DNA technology in mammalian cell culture. It is used in treating anemia resulting from chronic renal failure or from cancer chemotherapy. Its use is also believed to be common as a blood doping agent in endurance sports such as bicycle racing, triathlons and marathon running.

Discovery and biological role

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The existence of a humoral factor regulating red blood cell production was first postulated in 1906 based on transfusion experiments in rabbits. In 1950, the still unidentified erythropoietic factor was found to be stimulated in rats breathing a low-oxygen atmosphere, thus establishing the elements of its biological regulation. In the 1960s its source was identified as the kidneys. Human EPO was first purified from human urine by T. Miyake, C. K. Kung and E. Goldwasser at the University of Chicago in 1977. Limited quantitites of the native human protein were used experimentally to treat patients with anemia.

EPO has now been identified as a glycoprotein with a molecular mass of about 30,000 Daltons. It has a 165 amino acid chain with four oligosaccharide side chains and circulates in the blood plasma at a very low concentration (about 5 pmol/L).

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Mircera (Erythropoietin) – US: Amgen and Hoffman–La Roche settle Mircera litigation http://is.gd/5Hiyn
IPThinkTank (DuncanBucknell) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:01:02 -0000
Mircera (Erythropoietin) – US: Amgen and Hoffman–La Roche settle Mircera litigation http://is.gd/5Hiyn
boceprevir/peginterferon/ribavirin 4 chronic hepatitis c: erythropoietin use vs ribavirin dose reduction 4 anemia http://bit.ly/8wAuYe
_clinical_trial (Clinical Trials) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:54:28 -0000
boceprevir/peginterferon/ribavirin 4 chronic hepatitis c: erythropoietin use vs ribavirin dose reduction 4 anemia http://bit.ly/8wAuYe
boceprevir/peginterferon/ribavirin 4 chronic hepatitis c: erythropoietin use vs ribavirin dose reduction 4 anemia http://bit.ly/8wAuYe
newtrials_ (New Clinical Trials) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:54:25 -0000
boceprevir/peginterferon/ribavirin 4 chronic hepatitis c: erythropoietin use vs ribavirin dose reduction 4 anemia http://bit.ly/8wAuYe
boceprevir/peginterferon/ribavirin 4 chronic hepatitis c: erythropoietin use vs ribavirin dose reduction 4 anemia http://bit.ly/8wAuYe
localtrials (US Clinical Trials ) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:50:26 -0000
boceprevir/peginterferon/ribavirin 4 chronic hepatitis c: erythropoietin use vs ribavirin dose reduction 4 anemia http://bit.ly/8wAuYe
boceprevir/peginterferon/ribavirin 4 chronic hepatitis c: erythropoietin use vs ribavirin dose reduction 4 anemia http://bit.ly/8wAuYe
recruitingtrial (Recruiting Trials) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:50:25 -0000
boceprevir/peginterferon/ribavirin 4 chronic hepatitis c: erythropoietin use vs ribavirin dose reduction 4 anemia http://bit.ly/8wAuYe
boceprevir/peginterferon/ribavirin 4 chronic hepatitis c: erythropoietin use vs ribavirin dose reduction 4 anemia http://bit.ly/8wAuYe
paidtrials (US Clinical Trials) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:46:27 -0000
boceprevir/peginterferon/ribavirin 4 chronic hepatitis c: erythropoietin use vs ribavirin dose reduction 4 anemia http://bit.ly/8wAuYe

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