The novel roles of four and a half LIM proteins 1 and 2 in the cardiovascular system.

Four and a half LIM domains protein 1 (FHL1) and FHL2, as the name suggests, contain four and a half LIM domain binding proteins. Proteins in this family capable of interacting with many types of proteins, including structural proteins, kinases, and several classes of transcription factors, have been identified. These interactions have been found to have important roles in a variety of fundamental processes including transcriptional regulation, cardiovascular development, hypertrophy, atherosclerosis, and angiogenesis. This article reviews recent advances in the characterization of FHL1 and FHL2, their biological roles, LIM domain binding proteins, and functions in the cardiovascular system.