Hepcidin is a cysteine‐rich peptide that functions both as an antimicrobial peptide and a central regulator of iron homeostasis in vertebrates. Structurally, it consists of an N‐terminal signal peptide, a propeptide region and a C‐terminal bioactive mature peptide. The canonical mature hepcidin contains eight conserved cysteine residues that form four disulfide bonds, stabilising a characteristic β‐sheet hairpin‐like structure...

Hepcidin is a key regulator of systemic iron homeostasis, which is essential for maintaining iron balance and cellular health. To investigate its role in zebrafish, we empolyed a hepcidin knockout model. Morphological and histological analyses revealed pale livers and significant iron accumulation in hep−/− zebrafish, particularly in liver, skin, and egg tissues. RNA sequencing identified 1,424 differentially expressed genes (...