SOX2 is a transcription factor that is expressed by self-renewing and multipotent stem cells of the embryonic neuroepithelium. Sox-2 was found to be expressed by dividing neural progenitor cells. Constitutive expression of SOX2 has also been shown to inhibit neuronal differentiation and results in the maintenance of progenitor characteristics. Conversely, inhibition of SOX2 signaling results in neural progenitor cells exit from cell cycle, which is associated with a loss of progenitor markers and the onset of early neuronal differentiation markers. Taken together, these data indicate that SOX signaling is both necessary and sufficient to maintain pan neural properties of neural progenitor cells (1).
...