HAND2
Developmental stage
Expressed in the fetal heart.
Function
Essential for cardiac morphogenesis, particularly for the formation of the right ventricle and of the aortic arch arteries. Required for vascular development and regulation of angiogenesis, possibly through a VEGF signaling pathway. Also plays an important role in limb development, particularly in the establishment of anterior-posterior polarization, acting as an upstream regulator of sonic hedgehog (SHH) induction in the limb bud. Is involved in the development of branchial arches, which give rise to unique structures in the head and neck. Binds DNA on E-box consensus sequence 5'-CANNTG-3' (By similarity).
Tissue Specificity
Heart.
Cellular localization
- Nucleus
Alternative names
BHLHA26, DHAND, HAND2, Heart- and neural crest derivatives-expressed protein 2, Class A basic helix-loop-helix protein 26, bHLHa26, dHAND