FOXN4
Description
The FOXN4 (forkhead box N4) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 12.
FOXN4 is a transcription factor that plays a crucial role in the development of both neural and non-neural tissues. It binds to a specific DNA sequence containing the ACGC motif and regulates gene expression. In the central nervous system, FOXN4 is essential for specifying the amacrine and horizontal cell fates in the retina, while suppressing the development of photoreceptor cells. This regulation is achieved through the activation of DLL4-NOTCH signaling. FOXN4 also collaborates with ASCL1/MASH1 to activate DLL4-NOTCH signaling and promote the differentiation of p2 progenitors into V2b interneurons during spinal cord development. In non-neural tissues, FOXN4 plays a key role in the development of the atrioventricular canal and indirectly contributes to the patterning of the distal airway during lung development.
FOXN4 is also known as -.
Associated Diseases
- X-linked retinal dysplasia
- choroidal dystrophy, central areolar, 1
- severe early-childhood-onset retinal dystrophy
- X-linked retinoschisis
- retinitis pigmentosa
- Stargardt disease
- achromatopsia
- coloboma of optic nerve
- foveal hypoplasia 1
- oculocutaneous albinism type 6
- cancer
