Abstract:

In this study，mRNA isolated from embryos was subjected to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to investigate the expression of eNOS, iNOS mRNA in normal pathenogenetic activation porcine embryos. The results showed that eNOS was expressed only in two-cell and four-cell stage embryos, while iNOS was expressed around early embryo development stages. These studies determined that inducible NOS (iNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) are differentially distributed in cells along the development, higher level of eNOS was detected at four-cell stage embryo but iNOS at morula/blastocyst stage. The study provides the first evidence for the presence of mRNA of NOS isoforms during porcine embryogenesis. Furthermore, the expression of NOS during the embryo development suggest that NO may be of crucial importance for reproductive events that occur in this period.

Key words: Pig; Nitric oxide; mRNA; RT-PCR; Embryo development