Oct-4A: Products

Oct-3/4, alternately Oct-3 or Oct-4, is POU5F1 (POU domain containing, class 5, transcription factor 1), a 360 amino acid (aa) transcription factor that is expressed in totipotent embryonic stem and germ cells. The human Oct-4, Oct-3/4 or POU5F1 gene can be transcribed into at least three transcripts (Oct-4A, Oct-4B, and Oct-4B1) and generates four protein isoforms by alternative splicing and alternative translation initiation. Oct-4A expression is restricted to embryonic stem (ES) and embryonic carcinoma (EC) cells and is believed to be the transcription factor responsible for the pluripotency properties of embryonic stem (ES) cells. In contrast, Oct-4B/4B1 can be detected in various nonpluripotent cell types and cannot sustain ES cell pluripotency and self-renewal.