Ikaros in hematopoiesis and leukemia.

Ikaros is a gene whose activity is essential for normal hematopoiesis. Ikaros acts as a master regulator of lymphoid and myeloid development as well as a tumor suppressor. In cells, Ikaros regulates gene expression via chromatin remodeling. During the past 15 years tremendous advances have been made in understanding the role of Ikaros in hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis. In this Topic Highlights series of reviews, several groups of international experts in this field summarize the experimental data that is shaping the emerging picture of Ikaros function at the biochemical and cellular levels. The articles provide detailed analyses of recent scientific advancements and present models that will serve as a basis for future studies aimed at developing a better understanding of normal hematopoiesis and hematological malignancies and at accelerating the application of this knowledge in clinical practice.