The GATA family of transcription factors, which contain zinc fingers in their DNA binding domain, have emerged as candidate regulators of gene expression in hematopoietic cells. GATA1 is essential for normal primitive and definitive erythropoiesis and is expressed at high levels in erythroid cells, mast cells, and megakaryocytes.

GATA2 is expressed in hematopoietic progenitors, including early erythroid cells, mast cells, and megakaryocytes, and also in nonhematopoietic embryonic stem cells. In chicken erythroid progenitors, forced expression of GATA2 promotes proliferation at the expense of differentiation. GATA3 expression is restricted to T-lymphoid cells and some nonhematopoietic cell types, including embryonic stem cells.