Clone REA297 recognizes the murine Nanog antigen, a homeobox transcription factor also known as ES cell-associated protein 4. Nanog is thought to be a key factor in maintaining pluripotency. It is expressed in the central portion of the morula, the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, in embryonic stem cells (ESC) and embryonic germ cells (EGC). The expression decreases with ESC differentiation. Nanog is thought to function in concert with other factors such as Oct-4 and SOX2 to establish ESC identity. Overexpression of Nanog in mouse ESC causes them to self-renew in the absence of Leukemia inhibitory factor. Loss of Nanog function causes differentiation of mouse ESC into other cell types.

Additional information: Clone REA297 displays negligible binding to Fc receptors.