homeobox (hox) genes are contributed in the genetic control of development of the body plan, pattern formation, and cell fate determination and the other several key developmental processes. hox genes are also known as selector genes because expression within a given section of the embryo will cause its cells to choose a particular developmental path. hox genes encode transcription factors that...

Structural chromosomal rearrangements of the Nucleoporin 98 gene (NUP98), primarily balanced translocations and inversions, are associated with a wide array of hematopoietic malignancies. NUP98 is known to be fused to at least 28 different partner genes in patients with hematopoietic malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis, myelodysplastic syndro...

Gonadotropins are routinely administered to produce multiple oocytes for clinical in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, laboratory research, and livestock industries. Studies in mice have shown gonadotropin stimulation using equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) affects the endometrium, implantation, and fetal development. Evidence from clinical studies also indicates that stimulation with reco...

BACKGROUND Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a rare syndrome that is characterized by congenital aplasia of the uterus and the upper portion (2/3) of the vagina. Previous attempts to identify causal mutations of MRKH syndrome have primarily resulted in negative outcomes. We investigated whether these reported variants are associated with MRKH syndrome (types I and II) in a relat...

Balancing stem cell self-renewal and initiation of lineage specification programs is essential for the development and homeostasis of the hematopoietic system. We have specifically ablated geminin in the developing murine hematopoietic system and observed profound defects in the generation of mature blood cells, leading to embryonic lethality. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) accumulated in the ...

In pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML), cytogenetic abnormalities are strong indicators of prognosis. Some recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities, such as t(8;16)(p11;p13), are so rare that collaborative studies are required to define their prognostic impact. We collected the clinical characteristics, morphology, and immunophenotypes of 62 pediatric AML patients with t(8;16)(p11;p13) from 18 co...

Human bone marrow-derived stromal stem cells (hBMSC) exhibit multiple functions, including differentiation into skeletal cells (progenitor function), hematopoiesis support, and immune regulation (nonprogenitor function). We have previously demonstrated the presence of morphological and functional heterogeneity of hBMSC cultures. In the present study, we characterized in detail two hTERT-BMSC cl...