The transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) is a 14-3-3-binding molecule. The highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed 14-3-3 proteins regulate differentiation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis by binding intracellular phosphoproteins involved in signal transduction. TAZ may link events at the plasma membrane and cytosketeton to nuclear transcription in a manner that can be regulated by 14-3-3. TAZ shares homology with the WW domain of Yes-associated protein (YAP)

Transcription factors are proteins that bind DNA adjacent to genes and control the production of mRNA transcripts. Scleraxis (basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor scleraxis) is a 201 amino acid protein that dimerizes with another bHLH protein to initiate transcription. Scleraxis is known to play a role in formation of mesoderm and somite-derived chondrogenic lineages. Scleraxis localizes to the nucleus and contains 1 bHLH domain. bHLH transcription factors, in general, function in cel

This gene encodes a potent cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. The encoded protein binds to and inhibits the activity of cyclin-CDK2 or -CDK4 complexes, and thus functions as a regulator of cell cycle progression at G1. The expression of this gene is tightly controlled by the tumor suppressor protein p53, through which this protein mediates the p53-dependent cell cycle G1 phase arrest in response to a variety of stress stimuli. This protein can interact with proliferating cell nuclear antigen

Insulin receptor substrates (IRS) are responsible for several insulin related activities, such as glucose homeostasis, cell growth, cell transformation, apoptosis and insulin signal transduction. Serine/threonine phosphorylation of IRS1 has been demonstrated to be a negative regulator of insulin signaling and is responsible for its degradation, although IRS1 degradation pathways are not well understood. IRS1 has also been shown to be constitutively activated in cancers such as breast cancer,

May be involved in chondrogenesis (cartilage development) during bone formation. Unlikely to play a role in sex determination but may function during testicular and ovarian differentiation (By similarity). Transcriptional activator. Acts early in neural crest formation, functioning redundantly with the other group E Sox factors sox8 and sox10 to induce neural crest progenitors. Induces sox10 expression downstream of wnt-signaling. Principally involved in development of the cranial neural cres

May be involved in chondrogenesis (cartilage development) during bone formation. Unlikely to play a role in sex determination but may function during testicular and ovarian differentiation (By similarity). Transcriptional activator. Acts early in neural crest formation, functioning redundantly with the other group E Sox factors sox8 and sox10 to induce neural crest progenitors. Induces sox10 expression downstream of wnt-signaling. Principally involved in development of the cranial neural cres