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Abstract
Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) is a transcription factor that acts in low-oxygen conditions.
The cellular response to HIF activation is transcriptional upregulation of a large
group of genes. Some target genes promote anaerobic metabolism to reduce oxygen consumption,
while others "alleviate" hypoxia by acting non-cell-autonomously to extend and modify
the surrounding vasculature. Although hypoxia is often thought of as being a pathological
phenomenon, the mammalian embryo in fact develops in a low-oxygen environment, and
in this context HIF has additional responsibilities. This review describes how low
oxygen and HIF affect gene expression, cell behavior, and ultimately morphogenesis
of the embryo and placenta.
2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.