title: Hooking up with Oct4.
abstract: The transcription factor Oct4 plays a central role in controlling the undifferentiated state of embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. Two complementary papers in this issue of Cell Stem Cell describe the extended network of proteins that interact with Oct4. Together, these studies broaden our understanding of the control of pluripotency.
authors.affiliation: Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA. Electronic address: ihor.lemischka@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Ihor R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Lemischka