par De Mees, Christelle 
;Streel, Emmanuel
Référence Developmental Gene Expression Regulation, Nova Science Publishers, Inc., page (151-168)
Publication Publié, 2009
;Streel, Emmanuel Référence Developmental Gene Expression Regulation, Nova Science Publishers, Inc., page (151-168)
Publication Publié, 2009
Partie d'ouvrage collectif
| Résumé : | Alpha-foetoprotein (AFP) is a well known diagnostic biomarker used in medicine to detect foetal developmental anomalies such as neural tube defects or Down's syndrome, or to follow the development of tumors such as hepatocellular carcinomas. However, the role of AFP goes way further than that. AFP is involved at least in rodents in the correct differentiation of the female brain, through its estrogen binding capacity. This chapter present an overview of what is known about the regulation of the Afp gene, describes the phenotype of the AFP knock-out (AFP KO) mouse and offers an overview of other mouse models available to study estrogen function. Being in the right place, at the right time, is a key factor for alpha-foetoprotein (AFP). Firstly, because it is involved in major events occurring during narrow timewindows, such as sexual differentiation of the female brain. Secondly, because AFP is expressed in an onco-foetal way. © 2009 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. |
