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Hox genes in the adult skeleton: Novel functions beyond embryonic development.

Citation
Rux, D. R., and D. M. Wellik. “Hox Genes In The Adult Skeleton: Novel Functions Beyond Embryonic Development.”. Developmental Dynamics : An Official Publication Of The American Association Of Anatomists, pp. 310-317.
Center University of Michigan
Author Danielle R Rux, Deneen M Wellik
Keywords Hox genes, adult mesenchymal stem/stromal cells, fracture repair and regeneration, skeletal development
Abstract

Hox genes encode evolutionarily conserved transcription factors that control skeletal patterning in the developing embryo. They are expressed in regionally restricted domains and function to regulate the morphology of specific vertebral and long bone elements. Recent work has provided evidence that Hox genes continue to be regionally expressed in adult tissues. Fibroblasts cultured from adult tissues show broadly maintained Hox gene expression patterns. In the adult skeleton, Hox genes are expressed in progenitor-enriched populations of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), and genetic loss-of-function analyses have provided evidence that Hox genes function during the fracture healing process. This review will highlight our current understanding of Hox expression in the adult animal and its function in skeletal regeneration. Developmental Dynamics 246:310-317, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Year of Publication
2017
Journal
Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists
Volume
246
Issue
4
Number of Pages
310-317
Date Published
12/2017
ISSN Number
1097-0177
DOI
10.1002/dvdy.24482
Alternate Journal
Dev. Dyn.
PMID
28026082
PMCID
PMC5508556
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