似た名前の物質が同時に出てくると非常に紛らわしいですが、LEF1とLefty1は別物です。
Excellent question — and it’s a very common source of confusion because LEF1 and Lefty1 sound deceptively similar but are completely different genes.
🧬 LEF1 (Lymphoid Enhancer-binding Factor 1)
- Full name: Lymphoid Enhancer Factor 1
- Family: Member of the LEF/TCF transcription factor family
(includes LEF1, TCF7 (TCF-1), TCF7L1 (TCF-3), TCF7L2 (TCF-4)) - Pathway: Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling
- LEF1 binds DNA at Wnt-responsive elements.
- When Wnt signaling is active, β-catenin binds LEF1 → co-activates target genes (e.g., Axin2, Cyclin D1, Myc).
- Role in development: Cell fate specification, axis formation, hair follicle and hematopoietic development.
- Type: Transcription factor
🧫 Lefty1 (Left–Right Determination Factor 1)
- Full name: Left-Right Determination Factor 1
- Family: Member of the TGF-β superfamily, closely related to Nodal antagonists (Lefty1, Lefty2, Cerberus).
- Pathway: Nodal/Activin signaling
- Lefty1 is a secreted protein that antagonizes Nodal by binding either Nodal itself or its co-receptors.
- Role in development: Establishing left–right asymmetry, controlling the spread of Nodal activity during gastrulation.
- Type: Secreted morphogen (signaling inhibitor)
✅ In summary
| Gene | Full Name | Pathway | Function | Protein Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEF1 | Lymphoid Enhancer Factor 1 | Wnt/β-catenin | DNA-binding transcription factor | Nuclear TF |
| Lefty1 | Left-Right Determination Factor 1 | Nodal/TGF-β | Secreted Nodal antagonist | Secreted protein |
So:
LEF1 belongs to the LEF/TCF transcription factor family, not to Lefty1.
They are unrelated in both function and pathway — one is a nuclear transcription factor, the other is a secreted signaling molecule.