Pituitary Development and Organogenesis: Transcription Factors in Development and Disease

Many transcription factors that regulate pituitary gland development and specification of hormone-producing cell types have been discovered. Here we focus on 13 transcription factors that play key roles in these processes, many of which are mutated in patients with congenital pituitary insufficiency disorders. We present the methods by which each of these transcription factors were identified. Each of the genes we discuss has been well studied in genetically engineered mice, facilitating an understanding of the impact of each single gene defect on the expression of downstream targets. Finally, we highlight technical advances that promise to yield future insights into epigenetic regulation of cell fate.