Description
Erythropoietin (EPO), originally identified for its critical hormonal role in promoting erythrocyte survival and differentiation, is a member of the large and diverse cytokine superfamily. EPO and EPOR function as the primary mediators of a general protective response to tissue hypoxia, which acts to maintain adequate tissue oxygenation through adjustments of circulating red cell mass by using a hormonal feedback-control system involving the kidney and the bone marrow. EPO and EPORs are also expressed by other tissues and organs, including the brain and heart. EPO has also been shown to stimulate mitosis and signaling in astrocytes, endothelial cells, cardiomyoblasts, and cardiomyocytes maintained in vitro