CINCINNATI, Sep 27, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center researchers have identified a master gene that controls the first breath of a newborn infant.

The discovery, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could have implications for treating premature babies, as well as children and adults suffering from lung disease or injury.

The master gene, called Foxa2, controls key factors that allow the lungs of a fetus to develop fully and eventually breathe air, according to senior author Dr. Jeffrey Whitsett, chief of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

"It was surprising to us that a single gene was able to orchestrate so many other aspects of lung function we know are critical for survival at the time of birth," said Whitsett.

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