Question

In: Biology

What is erythropoietin and what does it do

What is erythropoietin and what does it do

Solutions

Expert Solution

Erythropoietin is a substance produced by the kidney that leads to the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow. The kidney cells that make EPO are specialized and are sensitive to low oxygen levels in the blood coming into the kidney.

1. Erythropoietin stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. The resulting rise in red cells increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

2. As the prime regulator of red cell production, erythropoietin's major functions are to:

Promote the development of red blood cells.

Initiate the synthesis of hemoglobin, the molecule within red blood cells that transports oxygen.

Chemically, erythropoietin a protein with an attached sugar (a glycoprotein). It is one of a number of similar glycoproteins that serve as stimulants for the growth of specific types of blood cells in the bone marrow.


Related Solutions

What is the function (what is it, what does it do, how does it do it)...
What is the function (what is it, what does it do, how does it do it) of a defrost high limit thermostat and a defrost termination thermostat?
What does Treasury Stock do to Stockholders Equity and why does it do it? What are...
What does Treasury Stock do to Stockholders Equity and why does it do it? What are the effects on Stockholders Equity with Cash Dividends, Stock Dividends or Stock Splits. If you were a stockholder which one would you want to receive?
what is Wireshark and what does it do?
what is Wireshark and what does it do?
What is an enzyme and what does it do?
What is an enzyme and what does it do?
What is an antibody and what does it do
What is an antibody and what does it do
What is ICANN and what does it do?
What is ICANN and what does it do?
what does the Na/K pump do? be specific What does the Ca pump do in the...
what does the Na/K pump do? be specific What does the Ca pump do in the sarcoplasm?be specific
What does the using the damper pedal do and (roughly) how does it do it?
What does the using the damper pedal do and (roughly) how does it do it?
what does duality mean and what does it have to do with identity
what does duality mean and what does it have to do with identity
What does the following statement tell a C compiler to do, and when does it do...
What does the following statement tell a C compiler to do, and when does it do it? #define UCHAR unsigned char
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT