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Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Oct4GiP Reporter Assay to Study Genes that Regulate Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Maintenance and Self-renewal
Published on: May 30, 2012
Cell cycle and pluripotency: Convergence on octamer‑binding transcription factor 4 (Review)
Shiqi She1, Qucheng Wei2, Bo Kang1
1State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have unlimited expansion potential and the ability to differentiate into all somatic cell types for regenerative medicine and disease model studies. Octamer‑binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4), encoded by the POU domain, class 5, transcription factor 1 gene, is a transcription factor vital for maintaining ESC pluripotency and somatic reprogramming. Many studies have established that the cell cycle of ESCs is featured with an abbreviated G1 phase and a prolonged S phase. Changes in cell cycle dynamics are intimately associated with the state of ESC pluripotency, and manipulating cell‑cycle regulators could enable a controlled differentiation of ESCs. The present review focused primarily on the emerging roles of OCT4 in coordinating the cell cycle progression, the maintenance of pluripotency and the glycolytic metabolism in ESCs.
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