The role of the OVOL1–OVOL2 axis in normal and diseased human skin

OVOLs (OVO-like proteins) are transcribed from ubiquitously conserved genes encoding a C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor in mammals [1,2]. Functional studies on Ovol1 and Ovol2 using knockout mice have suggested that these genes play a pivotal role in the development of epithelial tissues arising from germ cells [2–4]. However, the role of the OVOL1–OVOL2 axis in normal and diseased tissues remains unclear.