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Nature Genetics 41, 386–388 (1 April 2009) | doi:10.1038/ng0409-386

BMP6 orchestrates iron metabolism

Clara Camaschella

Total body iron must be kept under control, through a tight regulation of iron absorption, to avoid the pathological conditions of deficiency or overload. The recent discovery of the small peptide hormone hepcidin as a key regulator of iron homeostasis in mammals has revolutionized our understanding of the mechanism of this control.