This entry represents the forkhead (FH) domain of human FOXN1 and similar sequences from vertebrates. The FH domain is a winged helix DNA-binding domain.Forkhead box protein N1 (FOXN1) acts as a transcriptional regulator which regulates the development, differentiation, and function of thymic epithelial cells (TECs) [, ], both in the prenatal and postnatal thymus [, , , ]. Loss of function of this transcription factor leads to the human counterpart of the nude mouse characterised by athymia with severe T cell immunodeficiency, congenital alopecia, and nail dystrophy []. It has been reported that FOXN1 duplication leads to congenital hypertrichosis []. It is also an important factor in controlling the skin wound healing process, as it actively participates in re-epithelialization and is responsible for scar formation [, ].
This family includes Forkhead box protein N41 and N4.Forkhead box protein N1 (FOXN1) acts as a transcriptional regulator which regulates the development, differentiation, and function of thymic epithelial cells (TECs) [, ], both in the prenatal and postnatal thymus [, , , ]. Loss of function of this transcription factor leads to the human counterpart of the nude mouse characterised by athymia with severe T cell immunodeficiency, congenital alopecia, and nail dystrophy []. It has been reported that FOXN1 duplication leads to congenital hypertrichosis []. It is also an important factor in controlling the skin wound healing process, as it actively participates in re-epithelialization and is responsible for scar formation [, ].Forkhead box protein N4 (FOXN4) acts as a transcription factor essential for neural and some non-neural tissue development, such as retina and lung, respectively [, , , , ]. During development of the central nervous system, FOXN4 is required in specifying the amacrine and horizontal cell fates from multipotent retinal progenitors, while suppressing alternative photoreceptor cell fates [, , ]. In non-neural tissues, it plays an essential role in specifying the atrioventricular canal and is indirectly required for patterning the distal airway during lung development []. FOX transcription factors recognize the core sequence 5'-(A/C)AA(C/T)A-3'.
