Biallelic expression of nanog protein in mouse embryonic stem cells.

Transcription factors (TFs) and their networks are central effectors controlling pluripotency (Young, 2011). Numerous involved TFs have been identified, but a subset of core pluripotency TFs regulates the majority of others. One such factor, Nanog, is expressed in pluripotent cells, is required for self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in vitro, is able to force ESC self-renewal upon overexpression in the absence of LIF, and is necessary for the normal development of early mouse embryos (reviewed in Young, 2011).