Embryonic stem (ES) cells possess the ability to differentiate into any cell type in the body, making them a valuable tool for studying development, for disease modelling, and to investigate potential therapeutic applications. To maintain their pluripotency and self-renewal abilities, ES cells rely on a network of intracellular proteins that regulate various cellular processes. Oct4 (also known as POU5F1), is a critical transcription factor involved in maintaining pluripotency in embryonic stem (ES) cells. However, its requirement for pluripotency varies between mouse and human ES cells. In mouse ES cells Oct4 is essential for pluripotency, with depletion or inactivation of Oct4 in mouse ES cells leading to their differentiation into other cell types. In human ES cells the requirement for Oct4 is somewhat different. Whilst Oct4 is a key pluripotency factor in human ES cells, it is not as strictly required as it is in mouse ES cells. Inactivation of Oct4 in human ES cells can lead to differentiation, but some human ES cell lines can tolerate reduced levels of Oct4 and still maintain pluripotency. This suggests that other factors can compensate to a degree for the loss of Oct4 in human ES cells. Oct4 regulates the expression of genes involved in self-renewal and prevents differentiation. Oct4 interacts with other pluripotency-associated factors, such as Sox2 and Nanog, to form a self-sustaining regulatory network that maintains the undifferentiated state of ES cells. Nanog is another critical transcription factor that cooperates with Oct4 and Sox2 to regulate gene expression in ES cells. It similarly promotes pluripotency and is involved in repressing genes associated with differentiation. Nanog also plays a role in the formation of the inner cell mass during early embryonic development. Sex-determining region Y-box 2 (Sox2) is a transcription factor that collaborates with Oct4 and Nanog to maintain ES cell pluripotency. It is essential for self-renewal and repressing lineage-specific genes. Sox2 is involved in controlling the balance between pluripotency and differentiation in ES cells. Krüppel-like factor 4 (Klf4) is an additional transcription factor that, along with Oct4, Sox2, and c-Myc, was originally used to reprogram somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). In ES cells, Klf4 also plays a role in maintaining pluripotency and self-renewal by regulating gene expression patterns. Sall4 is a zinc-finger transcription factor marker that is highly expressed in ES cells and early embryos. It is involved in the regulation of pluripotency-associated genes and promotes self-renewal. Sall4 also plays a role in early embryonic development and mutations are associated with various developmental disorders, including a subset of Duane Radial Ray Syndrome cases. Finally, Rex1 is a transcriptional repressor that is highly expressed in ES cells. It also contributes to the maintenance of pluripotency by suppressing genes associated with differentiation, with Rex1 considered a marker of undifferentiated ES cells. We offer a wide product catalogue of research tools for investigating intracellular ESCs markers, including PSCA antibodies. Explore our full intracellular ESCs markers product range below and discover more, for less.