In Adult Stem Cells
Several studies suggest a role for Oct-4 in sustaining self-renewal capacity of adult somatic stem cells (i.e. stem cells from epithelium, bone marrow, liver, etc.). Other scientists have produced evidence to the contrary, and dismiss those studies as artifacts of in vitro culture, or interpreting background noise as signal, and warn about Oct-4 pseudogenes giving false detection of Oct-4 expression. Oct-4 has also been implicated as a marker of cancer stem cells. In in-vitro experiments of murine Embryonic Stem Cells, Oct-4 has often been used as a marker of stemness, as differentiated cells show reduced expression of this marker.
Read more about this topic: Oct-4
Famous quotes containing the words adult, stem and/or cells:
“And I, whose childhood
Is a forgotten boredom,
Feel like a child
Who comes on a scene
Of adult reconciling,
And can understand nothing
But the unusual laughter,
And starts to be happy.”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)
“Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil.”
—Plato (c. 427–347 B.C.)
“The twelve Cells for Incorrigibles ... are also carved out of the solid rock hill. On the walls of one of the cells human “liberty” is clearly inscribed, with the “liberty” in significant quotation marks.”
—Administration in the State of Ariz, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)