SUFU (Suppressor of Fused) was identified in Drosophila as a suppressor of the Fused (Fu) kinase that is essential for Hedgehog signaling during embryonic pattern formation.The Hedgehog signaling pathway plays an important role in early human development. The pathway is a signaling cascade that plays a role in pattern formation and cellular proliferation during development. This gene encodes a negative regulator of the hedgehog signaling pathway. SUFU may function as a tumor suppressor as inactivation and loss of heterozygosity of SUFU is associated with human rhabdomyosarcomas and medulloblastomas.
