Hitting the numbers: the emerging network of p63 targets

Abstract

p63 is a transcription factor with a "master" role in the asymmetric cell division of stratified epithelia. The transcriptional strategy is exerted by activating and repressing a wide range of genes. Our understanding of the pathways and networks controlled by p63 is starting to emerge, thanks to profiling arrays and ChIP on chip experiments. We discuss recent advancements in the identification of bona fide targets, which suggests that several independent, as well as interconnected pathways are controlled by p63. Not surprisingly, the list includes genes previously shown to play a key role in differentiation processes, as well as targets involved in cell cycle control, signaling and transcription.