HIF-1 and hypoxic response: the plot thickens.

Hypoxia, or lowered physiological oxygenation, is a component of many diseases. The response to decreased oxygen tensions is also an essential aspect of normal development and physiology. The hypoxic response is chiefly mediated by a single transcription factor--the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor HIF-1. The central role played by HIF-1 in hypoxia-induced transcription has made the focus of intense investigation by biologists from a wide range of disciplines. Recent developments have produced fundamental advances in our understanding of both the regulation and function of this response pathway in animals, and illustrated the potential for manipulation of the pathway for therapeutic purposes.