The E2F transcription factors (TFs) encode intracellular factors associated with the control of the cell cycle. E2F are TFs that bind to promoter consensus sequences in order to activate transcription. These TFs control the expression of target genes involved in cell proliferation including, among others, genes for DNA replication and mitotic activation. Moreover, the E2F proteins also may act as a link between cell fate and the cell cycle. The retinoblastoma (Rb) is a protein that modulates the activity of the E2F family of TFs, and it has been shown that the Rb/E2F pathway is a key molecular mechanism associated with cell proliferation.
