Erythropoietin

Erythropoietin or EPO is a glycoprotein hormone that is a cytokine for erythrocyte (red blood cell) precursors in the bone marrow. Also called hematopoietin or hemopoietin, it is produced by the kidney and is the hormone regulating red blood cell production. Recombinant erythropoietin is available as a therapeutic agent produced by Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)cells in cell culture. It is used in treating anemia resulting from chronic renal failure or from cancer chemotherapy.

Human recombinant erythropoietin is produced from CHO cells transfected with the human EPO gene.