Elucidating the immunohistochemistry of Nanog: A transcription marker in the oral squamous cell carcinoma with emphasis on its origin as embryonic stem cell.

Background: Nanog is a key transcription factor regulating pluripotency in mammalian early embryos and pluripotent stem cells. Nanog plays a central role in pluripotency and forms autoregulatory loops to maintain ESC (embryonic stem cell) identity. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an extensively studied malignancy that occurs due to accumulated genetic and epigenetic changes.