Sox2, a key factor in the regulation of pluripotency and neural differentiation

Figure 1 Sex determining region Y-box 2 regulates gene expression in pluripotent stem cells and neural progenitor/stem cells. Sex determining region Y-box 2 (Sox2) interacts with Oct4 and other nuclear factors to activate pluripotent gene expression and repress differentiation gene expression in pluripotent stem cells. In neural progenitor/stem cells, Sox2 interacts with neural transcription factors, such as Brn2 and Pax6, to activate neural progenitor gene expression. Oct4: Octamer-binding transcription factor 4; Pax6: Paired-box protein 6.

Figure 2 Transcriptional expression of sex determining region Y-box 2 is regulated by multiple enhancers located in the sex determining region Y-box 2 locus. The sex determining region Y-box 2 (Sox2) gene locus is illustrated in yellow box, in which Sox2 exon and location of the N1 to N5 enhancers are indicated. TSS and TTS represent transcription starting and termination sites, respectively. SRR1 and 2 are Sox2 regulatory regions 1 and 2.