Q01860 

Oct-4 also known as Oct-3/4, POU5F1 is referred to as octamer-binding transcription factor-3 (Oct-3 or Otf-3) and octamer-binding transcription factor-4 (Oct-4 or Otf-4), respectively. Oct-4 plays a crucial role in regulating embryonic stem cell populations by influencing lineage commitment and maintaining pluripotency. This transcription factor is essential for sustaining stem-cell self-renewal and guiding differentiation pathways, which are vital for proper embryonic development. Oct-4 activates the UTF1 gene, promoting rapid proliferation and tumorigenic properties in embryonic stem cells. In humans, two isoforms of Oct-4 are involved in maintaining the undifferentiated state of embryonic stem cells, while pseudogenes located on chromosomes 10 and 8 have been shown to be transcribed in certain cancer cell lines and tissues, highlighting Oct-4′s significance in both normal development and cancer biology.