Objective 54: How erythropoietin regulates red blood cell,production

How I learned about this objective was from my textbook.  It has about three paragraphs laying out what erythropoietin is and does.  Erythropoietin has its primary effect on red blood cells by promoting red blood cell survival through protecting these cells from apoptosis.  Under hypoxic conditions, the kidney will produce and secrete erythropoietin to increase the production of red blood cells.  Erythropoietin stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. A rise in red cells increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.  As the main source of red blood cell production, EPO’s major functions are to:
Promote the development of red blood cells.  Also to initiate the synthesis of hemoglobin, the molecule within red cells that transports oxygen.  This diagram from my textbook was a great tool for me to accomplish this objective.