Fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1), also designated acidic FGF, and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), also designated basic FGF, are members of a family of growth factors that stimulate proliferation of cells of mesenchymal, epithe-lial and neuroectodermal origin. Additional members of the FGF family include the oncogenes FGF-3 (Int2) and FGF-4 (hst/Kaposi), FGF-5, FGF-6, FGF-7 (KGF), FGF-8 (AIGF), FGF-9 (GAF) and FGF-10–FGF-23. Members of the FGF family share 30-55% amino acid sequence

Hexokinases phosphorylate glucose to produce glucose 6 phosphate, thus committing glucose to the glycolytic pathway. Alternative splicing of this gene results in three tissue specific forms of glucokinase, one found in pancreatic islet beta cells and two found in liver. The protein localizes to the outer membrane of mitochondria. In contrast to other forms of hexokinase, this enzyme is not inhibited by its product glucose 6 phosphate but remains active while glucose is abundant. Mutations in t

Tbx3 gene is a member of a phylogenetically conserved family of genes that share a common DNA binding domain, the T box. T box genes encode transcription factors involved in the regulation of developmental processes. Tbx3 is a transcriptional repressor and is thought to play a role in the anterior/posterior axis of the tetrapod forelimb. Mutations in this gene cause ulnar mammary syndrome, affecting limb, apocrine gland, tooth, hair, and genital development. Alternative splicing of this gene

SLAM, a novel glycoprotein of 37kDa, designated SLAM (Signaling Lymphocyte Activation Molecule) or CDw150, belongs to the immunoglobulin gene superfamily and is involved in T cell stimulation. SLAM is constitutively expressed on peripheral blood memory T cells, T cell clones, immature thymocytes, and a proportion of B cells, and is rapidly induced on naive T cells after activation. Activated B cells express the membrane bound form of SLAM and the soluble and cytoplasmic isoforms of SLAM, ａ

Differentiation of myogenic cells is regulated by multiple positively and negatively acting factors. One well characterized family of helix-loop-helix (HLH) proteins known to play an important role in the regulation of muscle cell development include Myo D, myogenin, Myf-5 and Myf-6 (also designated MRF-4 or herculin). Of interest, most muscle cells express either Myo D or Myf-5 in the committed state, but when induced to differentiate, all turn on expression of myogenin. Myo D transcription