The role of E-proteins in B- and T-lymphocyte development

Development of lymphocytes from hematopoietic stem cells is controlled, in part, by the activity of transcriptional regulatory proteins. In particular, one class of helix-loop-helix proteins, termed E-proteins, have been implicated in the regulation of gene expression during B-cell development. Recent analysis of gene-targeted mice has allowed a direct assessment of the functional roles of several E-protein family members in hematopoiesis. In this review we describe the defects in B- and T-lymphocyte development in mice carrying targeted mutations in the E-protein genes and discuss our current understanding of the rob of these proteins in lymphoid development.