Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Reprogramming Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma to Pluripotency
Published on: February 2, 2024
The transcriptional foundation of pluripotency
Ian Chambers1, Simon R Tomlinson
1MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ, UK. ichambers@ed.ac.uk
Abstract:
A fundamental goal in biology is to understand the molecular basis of cell identity. Pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cell identity is governed by a set of transcription factors centred on the triumvirate of Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog. These proteins often bind to closely localised genomic sites. Recent studies have identified additional transcriptional modulators that bind to chromatin near sites occupied by Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog. This suggests that the combinatorial control of gene transcription might be fundamental to the ES cell state. Here we discuss how these observations advance our understanding of the transcription factor network that controls pluripotent identity and highlight unresolved issues that arise from these studies.
Related Concept Videos
Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming
Maintenance of the ES Cell State
Combinatorial Gene Control
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
Chromatin Modification in iPS Cells
Compact chromatin makes reprogramming difficult. Enzymes, such as histone demethylases and acetyltransferases, are often added during reprogramming to loosen the chromatin, making the DNA more accessible to transcription factors. Molecules that inhibit histone...
Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming
RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins

