H2AFY is a protein that is encoded by the H2AFY gene in humans. It is a member of the histone H2A family and is involved in the regulation of chromatin structure and gene expression. H2AFY is one of the histone variants that are enriched on the inactive X chromosome in female mammals, contributing to the process of dosage compensation where one of the two X chromosomes is inactivated to balance the gene expression levels between males and females. Alterations in the expression of H2AFY have been observed in various types of cancer. It has been suggested that H2AFY may play a role in tumorigenesis and could be a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment. H2AFY has been linked to the regulation of the cell cycle, with its expression levels varying throughout the different stages of the cell cycle. H2AFY can influence gene expression by affecting the chromatin structure, which in turn affects the binding of transcription factors and the transcriptional machinery. H2AFY may also be involved in the cellular response to DNA damage, potentially playing a role in the repair mechanisms that maintain genomic integrity.