Scientists discover that pluripotency factor NANOG is also active in adult organisms

A cross section of a mouse esophagus. The dark brown staining shows epithelial cells containing NANOG protein. Credit: CNIO

Scientists from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have discovered that NANOG, an essential gene for embryonic stem cells, also regulates cell division in stratified epithelia—those that form part of the epidermis of the skin or cover the oesophagus or the vagina—in adult organisms. According to the conclusions of the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, this factor could also play a role in the formation of tumours derived from stratified epithelia of the oesophagus and skin.

The pluripotency factor NANOG is active during just two days previous to the implantation of the embryo in the uterus (from day 5 to day 7 post-fertilization). At this critical period of development, NANOG contributes to giving embryonic stem cells the extraordinary capacity to make up all of the tissues that…