Achaete Scute Complex Like Protein 4 (ASCL4)

Basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, such as ASCL4, are essential for the determination of cell fate and the development and differentiation of numerous tissues.

By searching databases for sequences similar to Drosophila basic helix-loop-helix proteins, Jonsson et al. (2004) identified ASCL4, which they called HASH4. RT-PCR detected ASCL4 expression only in skin. Real-time PCR detected 7-fold higher ASCL4 expression in fetal skin than in adult skin. Weak expression was also detected in fetal lung, aorta, and brain, and in adult stomach, kidney, ovary, and breast. Jonsson et al. (2004) determined that a single exon contains the coding region of the ASCL4 gene.