| Summary: | Galectins comprise a family of soluble β-galactoside-binding proteins, which regulate a variety of key biological processes including cell growth, differentiation, survival, and death. This paper aims to address the current knowledge on the unique properties, regulation, and expression of the galectin-16 gene (<i>LGALS16</i>) in human cells and tissues. To date, there are limited studies on this galectin, with most focusing on its tissue specificity to the placenta. Here, we report the expression and 8-Br-cAMP-induced upregulation of <i>LGALS16</i> in two placental cell lines (BeWo and JEG-3) in the context of trophoblastic differentiation. In addition, we provide the results of a bioinformatics search for <i>LGALS16</i> using datasets available at GEO, Human Protein Atlas, and prediction tools for relevant transcription factors and miRNAs. Our findings indicate that <i>LGALS16</i> is detected by microarrays in diverse human cells/tissues and alters expression in association with cancer, diabetes, and brain diseases. Molecular mechanisms of the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of <i>LGALS16</i> are also discussed based on the available bioinformatics resources.
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