Analysis of Igf2 and Igf2r Genes Expression by RT-PCR in Bovine Fetuses

In mammals, insulin-like growth factor 2 (Igf2) plays a key role in mammalian growth and its receptor, Igf2r, which are imprinted and expressed exclusively from paternal and maternal alleles, respectively. Here we examined that expression of Igf2 and Igf2r genes in blastocysts and fetuses ranging from 30 to 180 days of gestation by RT-PCR. The expression of both genes was significantly low at the blastocyst stage, but high expression of both genes was detected throughout the fetal period. These results suggest that Igf2 and Igf2r are important genes for growth regulation in bovine fetuses as well as mice.