Patent ID: 8349559

Claim:
A method for detecting, in vivo, the effects of exogenous Epo or derivatives or mimetics thereof, the method comprising: a) providing a blood sample from an individual; b) determining the level of expression of an Epo responsive gene product on the surface of circulating erythroid cells in the blood sample of the individual, the Epo responsive gene product being selected from the group consisting of podocalyxin and growth differentiation factor-3; c) comparing the level of expression determined in step b) with a standard level of expression accepted as representative of the in vivo expression level on the surface of red blood cells in the individual in the absence of exogenous Epo or derivatives or mimetics thereof, a substantial increase in the level determined in step b), as compared with the standard level of expression accepted as representative of the in vivo expression level on the surface of red blood cells in the individual in the absence of exogenous Epo or derivatives or mimetics thereof, being indicative of the effects of exogenous Epo or derivatives or mimetics thereof.