Figure 7.

Model for the maintenance of self-renewal of ES cells by Jmjd1a and Jmjd2c. Schematic showing the interplay of Oct4 with Jmjd1a and Jmjd2c in sustaining ES cells’ self-renewal. In ES cells, Oct4 up-regulates the levels of Jmjd1a and Jmjd2c. Jmjd1a and Jmjd2c maintain Tcl1 and Nanog by demethylation of the repressive H3K9Me2 and H3K9Me3 marks, respectively. Notably, Tcl1 and Nanog are both downstream targets of Oct4. With differentiation, the down-regulation of Jmjd1a and Jmjd2c (dashed arrows) results in an elevation of the repressive H3K9Me2/Me3 modifications and reduced expression of downstream genes.