HAMP is involved in the maintenance of iron homeostasis, and it is necessary for the regulation of iron storage in macrophages, and for intestinal iron absorption. The preproprotein is post-translationally cleaved into mature peptides of 20, 22 and 25 amino acids, and these active peptides are rich in cysteines, which form intramolecular bonds that stabilize their beta-sheet structures. These peptides exhibit antimicrobial activity.Synonyms: HEPC, LEAP-1, LEAP1, Liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide, PLTR, Putative liver tumor regressor