Description
Importantly increasing evidence shows that Hox genes such as Hoxa9 are key regulators of stem cell self-renewal and hematopoiesis. Hoxa9 is expressed in early hematopoietic progenitor cells and promotes stem cell expansion. In contrast Hoxa9 down regulation is associated with hematopoietic differentiation. In addition to its role in development, HOXA9 has been intensively studied because of its central role in human acute leukemias. Despite their obvious biomedical importance, the mechanisms through which Hoxa9 and its partner proteins exert their downstream functions are poorly understood.