Homeobox Protein Engrailed-2/EN2 Polyclonal

Homeobox-containing genes are thought to have a role in controlling development. In Drosophila, the engrailed gene plays an important role during development in segmentation, where it is required for the formation of posterior compartments. Different mutations in the mouse homologs, EN1 and EN2, produced different developmental defects that frequently are lethal. The human engrailed homologs 1 and 2 encode homeodomain-containing proteins and have been implicated in the control of pattern formation during development of the central nervous system. EN1 is highly expressed by essentially all dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmentum. EN1 and EN2 regulate expression of a-synuclein, a gene that is genetically linked to Parkinson′s disease. During early brain development mouse EN2 is expressed in a broad band across most of the mid-hindbrain region. EN2 is also expressed in mouse myoblasts and has been assiciated with cerebellar hypoplasia.