The Role of Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1 in the Regulation of Stem Cell Functions

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1(HIF-1),a heterodimer composed of αand subunits,is the key transcriptional factor that governs the expression of an array of hypoxia responsive genes in multicellular organisms.Hypoxia and HIF-1 have been shown to be closely associated with the development of a wide range of ischemic and inflammatory diseases,including malignant tumors.Recent studies have shown that hypoxia,as a critical component of stem cell niche under certain physiological and pathological conditions,play an important role in the regulation of stem and progenitor cell functions.This article presents a brief review on the progress in the study of hypoxia and HIF-1 in regulating of stem cell behaviors.