Concept
Blastocyst
Related concepts (31)
Homeobox protein NANOG
Homeobox protein NANOG (hNanog) is a transcriptional factor that helps embryonic stem cells (ESCs) maintain pluripotency by suppressing cell determination factors. hNanog is encoded in humans by the NANOG gene. Several types of cancer are associated with NANOG. The name NANOG derives from Tír na nÓg (Irish for "Land of the Young"), a name given to the Celtic Otherworld in Irish and Scottish mythology. The human hNanog protein coded by the NANOG gene, consists of 305 amino acids and possesses 3 functional domains: the N-terminal domain, the C- terminal domain, and the conserved homeodomain motif.