Recombinant Human/Mouse Oct4 Protein Standard (His tag)

補足情報

This supplementary information is collated from multiple sources and compiled automatically.

Oct4 also known as POU5F1 Oct 4 protein and hecho en Oct 4 is a transcription factor important for maintaining pluripotency in stem cells. Oct4 protein has a molecular weight of approximately 40-45 kDa. Stem and germ cells express Oct4 where it regulates gene expression essential for cell differentiation and self-renewal. In immunohistochemistry (IHC) studies scientists often use Oct4 staining to identify stem cell presence and behavior.

Biological function summary

Oct4 acts in concert with other pluripotency factors like SOX2 and NANOG to form a regulatory network essential for maintaining stem cell identity. As part of this network the Oct4 transcription factor orchestrates the expression of genes that prevent differentiation and maintain the stem cell’s undifferentiated state. The protein directly activates the transcription of target genes involved in maintaining the pluripotent state.

Pathways

Oct4 plays an important role in the maintenance of pluripotency and self-renewal in the embryonic stem cell (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) pathways. Oct4 partners with proteins such as SOX2 and KLF4 in these pathways to activate and repress a common set of downstream genes which control differentiation and proliferation. Oct4 ensures the blocking of differentiation signals while promoting self-renewal in pluripotent cells.

Aberrant Oct4 expression often links to oncogenesis and tumor progression particularly in testicular germ cell tumors and certain types of cancers. Oct4 overexpression may interact with c-MYC a protein linked to cancer cell proliferation advancing tumorigenesis. Additionally researchers investigate Oct4 as a diagnostic marker for cancer and its potential as a therapeutic target to inhibit cancer cell growth.