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Erythropoietin
(EPO) & The EPO Test

Medical Author: Siamak Nabili, MD, MPH
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

What is erythropoietin?

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone produced by the kidney that promotes the formation of red blood cells by the bone marrow.

The kidney cells that make erythropoietin are specialized so that they are sensitive to low oxygen levels in the blood that travels through the kidney. These cells make and release erythropoietin when the oxygen level is too low. The low oxygen level may indicate anemia, a diminished number of red blood cells, or hemoglobin molecules that carry oxygen through the body.




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Erythropoietin (EPO Test)

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