Transcriptional Regulation of B-cell Differentiation

Transcription factors influence B cell differentiation by regulating the expression of numerous lineage-specific genes. Recent studies have identified factors that regulate differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells into B cell progenitors (PU.1 and lkaros), and further differentiation of these progenitors into mature B cells (NF kappa B, E2A, early B cell factor [EBF] and B cell specific activator protein [BSAP]). In addition, these studies demonstrate that complex interactions and redundancies among transcription factors safeguard the precise patterns of gene expression required for normal B cell differentiation.