Roles of SOX Transcription Factors on Fate Decision of Germ Cells
Li Shifeng*, Li Yiping
SOX (SRY-related HMG-box) transcriptional factors have a feature of the HMG box DNA binding domain in protein sequences. So far 20 members of Sox genes were found since the find of the first gene of sex determination, SRY. SOX transcriptional factors not only play widespread roles during embryo development, tissue homeostat, neural tissue development, retinal development and bone formation, but also play important roles in germ cell specification, differentiation and maturation. The find of SOX17 as a key regulator of embryo stem cells differentiate into germ cells in vitro made the resolution of male infertility become possible. The study progress of sox genes in germ cell development in the recent years will be introduced in this review.
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