Fig. 6: A model of RBC homeostasis.
From: A new role for erythropoietin in the homeostasis of red blood cells
a According to the current paradigm, EPO exclusively controls the rate of RBC production. Model 1 shows that this assumption leads to poor homeostatic control of RBC populations when the demand of the organism changes. b We suggest an alternative paradigm for RBC homeostasis in which EPO also controls the rate of RBC destruction by fine-tuning RBC lifespan. Model 2 shows that adaptive lifespans provide better homeostatic adaptations to changes in the needs of the body. Our data show that EPO controls RBC lifespan by regulating CD47 and SIRP-α expression in reticulocytes and macrophages, respectively.
