The Hox proteins play a role in development and cellular differentiation by regulating downstream target genes. Specifically, the Hox proteins direct DNA-protein and protein-protein interactions that assist in determining the morphologic features associated with the anterior-posterior body axis. The mammalian HOX gene complex consists of 39 genes that are located on 4 linkage groups, which are dispersed over 4 chromosomes. HOX genes that occupy the same relative position along the 5’ to 3’