COOPERATION BETWEEN TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS REGULATES LIVER DEVELOPMENT

Characterization and cloning of liver-enriched transcription factors h ave provided the tools to study the regulation of liver differentiatio n. Characterization of the temporal and spatial expression of these fa ctors have shown a sequential order of appearance, in coordination wit h the expression of their target genes, during liver development. Evid ence has accumulated showing cooperation between distinct factors in r egulating liver-specific gene expression. Since each of these factors is not uniquely expressed in the liver, yet, the liver is the only tis sue that expresses all of these factors, the cooperation between the c oexisting liver-enriched factors could constitute the basis for the re gulation of liver-specific gene expression.