Expression of Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and Collagenase Genes in Preimplantation Bovine Embryos

Abstract

The matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors are thought to play an important role in such biological processes as ovulation, embryo development, implantation, angiogenesis and tumor cell metastasis. Because recent findings indicated that the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) produced by granulosa cells improved bovine embryo development in vitro, the patterns of gene expression have been determined for TIMP-1 and collagenase during bovine preimplantation development by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). mRNA transcripts for bovine TIMP-1 and collagenase were detectable in the morula and blastocyst stages of bovine embryos. This data suggested that TIMP-1 and collagenase may be involved in the growth and development of bovine embryos in an autocrine fashion as well as in a paracrine manner.