The role of the proto-oncogene c-myc in B lymphocyte differentiation.

Overview

Since the discovery of the myc gene, few genes are likely to have such influence on biomedical research. The diversity of the biological functions regulated by this transcription factor and its impact in human health have attracted investigators from many different fields. The development of conditional knockout mouse models has allowed for the characterization of Myc-driven molecular mechanisms in primary cells in physiological and pathological conditions. In this review, we discuss some of the main functions and recent findings regarding c-Myc in in vivo B lymphocyte differentiation from early progenitors to terminally differentiated cells.