Bioscientifica Proceedings

Summary. Evidence is presented for the involvement of a number of specific uterineand conceptus-derived proteins in endometrial differentiation and conceptus or feml development. These secretory proteins include mitogens (insulin-like growth factor-I and -II, epidermal growth factor, uterine lumina] fluid mitogen). binding and transport proteins (uteroferrin, insulin-like growth factor and retinal binding proteins, respectively), protease inhibitors (anti...

The occurrence of puberty in the female is due to the interplay of central and peripheral mechanisms in which the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis regulates growth and gonadal function, as well as adipocyte hormone secretion. Hypothalamic GnRH mRNA expression increased at 3.5 months of age and declined by 6 months of age. Concomitant with the age related reduction in the oestrogen negative feedback on LH secretion was a decline in hypothalamic oestrogen receptor-&alph...

Abstract unavailable© 1987 Journals of Reproduction & Fertility Ltd...

Summary. Tests for the detection of pregnancy early after insemination have not yet reached their full potential. Currently, the milk progesterone assay provides the earliest possible test, at an interval of one oestrous cycle after insemination, i.e. 17, 21 and 21 days in sheep, goats and cows respectively. This assay is pregnancy non-specific and rate of detection of pregnant animals is acceptable but less than desirable.Detection of a...

Keywords: lactation; weaning; sow; endocrinology; suckling© 1990 Journals of Reproduction & Fertility Ltd...

In some situations, the pig has advantages over the mouse as a model in biomedical research. The availability of pluripotent cell lines is likely to broaden this appeal. Here we review progress in the derivation and characterization of embryonic stem cells (ESC) and induced pluripotent lines (iPSC) from pigs. Until recently, most porcine ESC failed to meet the full criteria for pluripotency, but that may be changing as more becomes known about the culture conditions requ...

© 1985 Journals of Reproduction & Fertility Ltd...

Summary. In the pig, establishment of pregnancy begins about 11-12 days after the start of oestrus. The ability of pig conceptuses to synthesize and release oestrogens during this period, as well as the ability of exogenous oestrogens to induce pseudopregnancy when administered from Day 11-15 of the oestrous cycle, provide evidence for an involvement of oestrogen in the maternal recognition of pregnancy in the sow. Oestrogen derived from the conceptus or ...

Functional genomics is an experimental approach that incorporates genomewide or system-wide experimentation, expanding the scope of biological investigation from studying single genes to studying potentially all genes at once in a systematic manner. This technology is highly appealing because of its high throughput and relatively low cost. Furthermore, analysis of gene expression using microarrays is likely to be more biologically relevant than the conventional paradigm ...

Summary. Recent research clearly shows that fusion genes can be microinjected into a pronucleus of an ovum and integrate into the pig genome. Animals with such fusion genes are called ‘transgenic’. The percentage of injected ova that developed into transgenic pigs varied among experiments from 0.31% to 1.73%. The percentage of transgenic pigs that expressed the fusion gene ranged from 17% to 100%.Eleven different regulatory s...