A defined Oct4 level governs cell state transitions of pluripotency entry and differentiation into all embryonic lineages

Using embryonic stem cells (ESCs) expressing controlled levels of Oct4 (a master transcription factor for pluripotency and reprogramming), Silva and colleagues show that although ESC levels of Oct4 are needed for pluripotency entry, Oct4 levels can decrease once pluripotency is established, without affecting self-renewal. However, ESC levels of Oct4 are required for differentiation to all lineages, as cells with low levels of Oct4 during differentiation remain in a naive pluripotent state.