Transcription factor 21 (TCF21)

TCF21 encodes a transcription factor of the basic helix-loop-helix family. The TCF21 product is mesoderm specific, and expressed in embryonic epicardium, mesenchyme-derived tissues of lung, gut, gonad, and both mesenchymal and glomerular epithelial cells in the kidney. Two transcript variants encoding the same protein have been found for this gene.The predicted 179-amino acid human TCF21 protein contains a 57-amino acid bHLH domain, a putative nuclear localization signal, and an acidic transcriptional activation domain. Human TCF21 shares 60% and 95% protein sequence identity with TCF15 and mouse Tcf21, respectively. Northern blot analysis revealed that TCF21 is expressed as a 1.3-kb mRNA in human lung, kidney, heart, and placenta, and at lower levels in pancreas.