DUX4

DUX4 is a transcription factor that emerges during the early phases of embryonic development, originating from repetitive sequences within our genome. It works by latching onto DNA and switching on the genes that follow in the chain. This factor is key in how embryos grow, how cells multiply and change, and how our immune system reacts. When DUX4 is wrongly turned on or its activity is out of whack, it can lead to diseases like facial shoulder humeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), some cancers, and reactions to viral infections. Overactivity or irregular expression of DUX4 might trigger muscle cell death and inflammation, a central part of how FSHD develops. DUX4 is also involved in the early activation of the human embryonic genome and the development before the embryo implants.