Possible roles of insulin and insulin-like growth factors in rat preimplantation development: investigation of gene expression by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Authors

X Zhang
G M Kidder
A J Watson
G A Schultz
D T Armstrong

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-1994

Journal

Journal of reproduction and fertility

Volume

100

Issue

2

First Page

375

Last Page

380

Abstract

The sensitive mRNA phenotyping technique of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to demonstrate that insulin receptor mRNA is present in rat embryos during the preimplantation period. In addition, mRNA encoding insulin-like growth factor (IGF) type I and type II receptors have also been detected in rat preimplantation embryos. IGF-I mRNA was not detected in preimplantation embryos but was found in oviducts and uteri of prepubertal and early pregnant rats. IGF-II mRNA was present in both embryos and in oviducts and uteri during the preimplantation period. These findings suggest that insulin and IGF-I could influence early embryo development in endocrine or in paracrine fashions, whereas IGF-II may have an additional autocrine mode of action in affecting preimplantation embryos in rats.