Hepcidin: a New Type of Antibacterial Peptide Which Plays a Great Role in Iron Homeostasis

Hepcidin,a new type of antibacterial peptide synthesized by hepatocytes,performs a broad-spectrum bactericidal activity.But the most promising role of Hepcidin is as a key negative regulator for iron homeostasis.Lately researches pointed out Hepcidin related closely with many diseases.This paper mainly focused on the molecular structure of Hepcidin,the role of Hepcidin in iron homeostasis and the regulation of Hepcidin expression.