Hepcidin,a small antimicrobial peptide synthesized predominantly in the liver,is the presumed negative regulator of iron homeostasis and plays a most significant role in the etiopathogenesis of the hemochromatosis and,as recently shown,anemia in chronic inflammatory diseases.Many evidences demonstrate that hepcidin directly controls the intestinal uptake of iron and leads to the iron retention within monocytes/macrophages.Meanwhile,hepcidin displays a broad spectrum of antibiotic activity against a variety ...