Question

Erythropoietin is produced by a. the kidneys. b. the liver. c. the lungs. d. the bone marrow.

Short answer

The correct answer is a. the kidneys, as they are the primary organ responsible for producing erythropoietin.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the question

This exercise is asking about which organ in the human body produces erythropoietin. The solution requires knowing the function of erythropoietin and which organ is responsible for producing it.

Recall the function of erythropoietin

Erythropoietin, also known as EPO, is a hormone produced by the body to stimulate the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. This in turn increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Identifying the correct organ

Now that we know the function of erythropoietin, let's find out which organ produces it. The options provided are: kidneys, liver, lungs, and bone marrow. Based on medical knowledge, we know that the primary producer of erythropoietin is the kidneys. The liver also has the ability to produce erythropoietin but in a significantly smaller amount.

Choose the correct answer

Based on the information in Step 3, the correct answer is a. the kidneys, as they are the primary organ responsible for producing erythropoietin.