disease upon aging. Conditional knockout studies show that Foxa2 is important for the formation of pancreatic islets and maturation of alpha and beta cells, thereby being essential for glucose homeostasis. Dysregulation of FOXA transcription factors have been linked to several types of human cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia and cancer of the esophagus, lung, thyroid, pancreas, breast and prostate. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the FOXA2 gene are associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, especially in males. This association has been replicated in mice and may depend on androgen receptor-mediated regulation References External links Forkhead transcription factors