The pluripotency transcription factor network at work in reprogramming

Pluripotency-associated transcription factors possess a pivotal role to maintain pluripotency in pluripotent stem cells as well as to induce pluripotency in somatic cells. They direct specific pattern of gene expression from the genome by co-operating with the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Recent findings revealed that these mechanisms possess unique features in pluripotent stem cells, which is different from that in somatic cells either qualitatively and quantitatively. To reprogram somatic cells, pluripotency-associated transcription factors should modulate the co-operating machineries to establish the optimal environment for their function to maintain pluripotency-associated transcription factor network.