Bioscientifica Proceedings

Summary. As previously described for the establishment of stable, pluripotent cell lines from pig blastocysts, an analogous cell line was isolated from a sheep blastocyst. There are common features in the morphologies and growth characteristics of the pig and sheep cells in culture; in particular, pig and sheep cells display large nuclei and relatively sparse cytoplasm, as is observed in mouse embryonic stem cells. Furthermore, the morphology of the sheep cell...

In this review the concept that the origins of embryonic failure occur during oocyte development is explored. The four factors that determine oocyte viability, namely a normal growth phase, adequate follicle cell support during maturation, the completion of intracellular reprogramming before fertilization and the functioning of oocyte surveillance mechanisms, form the four sections of this review. The viability of pig oocytes at the end of the growth phase is compromised...

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

Keywords: oocyte; maturation; meiosis; differentiation; fertilization; pig© 1990 Journals of Reproduction & Fertility Ltd...

It is well established that the interferon τ (IFN-τ) family of proteins play a major role in preventing the regression of the corpus luteum during early pregnancy in ruminants, such as cattle, sheep and goats, but not in other mammals. These interferons, which are structurally and functionally related to type I interferon, such as IFN-α and -ω, arose from a duplication of an IFN-ω gene approximately 36 million years ago. The IFN-τ genes have conti...

Abstract unavailable© 1982 The authors...

Abstract unavailableKeywords: growth hormone; transgenic sheep; pituitary; lipids; reproduction; metabolic hormones© 1991 Journals of Reproduction & Fertility Ltd...

Summary. Ovine and bovine trophoblast protein-1 (oTP-1 and bTP-1) have been strongly implicated as antiluteolytic agents and responsible for maternal recognition of pregnancy in sheep and cattle, respectively. Both are interferons (IFN) belonging to the IFN-α family, but their length (172 residues versus 166 for most IFN-α) places them in an unusual subclass (the IFN-αII). The various isoforms of oTP-1 and bTP-1 produced by trophoblas...