The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from adult somatic cells by ectopic
expression of key transcription factors holds significant medical promise. However, current
techniques for inducing pluripotency rely on viral infection and are therefore not, at present,
viable within a clinical setting. Thus, there is now a need to better understand the molecular
basis of stem cell pluripotency and lineage specification in order to investigate alternative
methods to induce pluripotency for clinical application. However, the complexity of the …

The Runt domain family member RUNX2 (alternatively known as CBFA1 or OSF2) is a well
known transcriptional activator of osteogenesis [1, 2]. For example, Karsenty and co-workers
established that RUNX2 binds to the promoter region of multiple osteoblast-specific genes
(including osteocalcin, collagen I, bone sialoprotein, and osteopontin), and is a key regulator
of osteoblast differentiation in vivo [3]. In particular, they showed that RUNX2 controls
expression of osteocalcin, the only known gene to be expressed in osteoblasts and no other …