MAFA (MAF bZIP transcription factor A) is a critical transcription factor that regulates pancreatic β-cell function and insulin production. MAFA activates insulin gene expression by binding to the insulin enhancer C1/RIPE3b element and consensus TRE-type MARE DNA sequences 1. The protein acts synergistically with other key transcription factors including NEUROD1/BETA2 and PDX1 to control insulin synthesis at the transcriptional level 1. Beyond insulin gene regulation, MAFA controls the expression of exocytosis-related genes essential for insulin secretion, including STX1A, SYT7, and STXBP1, with MAFA silencing resulting in impaired insulin secretion 2. MAFA serves as a marker of mature β-cell phenotype, with its expression found in functional insulin-producing cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells that can reverse diabetes in experimental models 34. Clinically, MAFA is highly relevant to diabetes pathogenesis, as its expression is reduced in type 2 diabetes β-cells and correlates with β-cell dedifferentiation 5. Germline mutations in MAFA cause familial insulinomatosis, a rare condition characterized by multiple insulin-producing pancreatic tumors and paradoxical occurrence of diabetes mellitus within affected families 6. Additionally, MAFA translocations are associated with multiple myeloma pathogenesis 7.