Gene Involved In Common Birth Defect Also Regulates Skin Biology

... Following up on an earlier discovery that a gene called IRF6 is involved in the common birth defect cleft lip and palate, University of Iowa researchers and their colleagues have identified the function of the gene. Their latest findings, published online Oct. 15 in Nature Genetics, reveal an unexpected role for IRF6 in the growth and development of skin cells, a discovery that may have implications for wound healing and cancer research. ...