@article{crosier_farin_rodriguez_blondin_alexander_farin_2002, title={Development of skeletal muscle and expression of candidate genes in bovine fetuses from embryos produced in vivo or in vitro}, volume={67}, ISSN={["0006-3363"]}, DOI={10.1095/biolreprod67.2.401}, abstractNote={Abstract The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of in vitro embryo production on histological development and gene expression in the skeletal muscle of bovine fetuses during late gestation. Blastocysts produced in vivo were obtained from superovulated Holstein cows. Blastocysts produced in vitro were obtained from oocytes of Holstein cows that were matured and fertilized in vitro. Single blastocysts were transferred into heifers at a synchronized estrous and fetuses were recovered at Day 222 of gestation (n = 12 each for in vivo and in vitro). Samples of semitendinosus muscle were obtained for histological analysis and assessment of gene expression. Individual muscle sections were stained for the assessment of primary muscle fibers, secondary muscle fibers, or total muscle fibers. Semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assays were performed for 5 different candidate genes. The ratio of secondary-to-primary fiber number was greater in fetuses from embryos produced in vitro compared with fetuses from embryos produced in vivo. Similarly, the ratio of secondary-to-primary fiber volume density tended to be greater in fetuses from embryos produced in vitro. The proportional volume of tissue present between myofibrils was greater in fetuses from embryos produced in vitro. The expression of mRNA for myostatin was decreased in skeletal muscle of fetuses in the in vitro group compared with controls. The expression of mRNA for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase tended to be increased in skeletal muscle of fetuses in the in vitro treatment group. There was no effect of treatment on the expression of mRNAs for myf-5, myoD, or myogenin. In conclusion, in vitro production of embryos resulted in fetuses with altered development of skeletal muscle fibers. Myostatin was identified as the candidate gene whose expression may contribute to the observed changes in muscle development of these fetuses.}, number={2}, journal={BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION}, author={Crosier, AE and Farin, CE and Rodriguez, KF and Blondin, P and Alexander, JE and Farin, PW}, year={2002}, month={Aug}, pages={401–408} }
 @article{blondin_farin_crosier_alexander_farin_2000, title={In vitro production of embryos alters levels of insulin-like growth factor-II messenger ribonucleic acid in bovine fetuses 63 days after transfer}, volume={62}, ISSN={["0006-3363"]}, DOI={10.1095/biolreprod62.2.384}, abstractNote={Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the effect of embryo production systems on the expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II mRNA in fetal bovine tissues at Day 70 of gestation (63 days after transfer). Oocytes aspirated from ovaries of Holstein cows were matured and fertilized in vitro. Zygotes were cultured in either tissue culture medium (TCM)-199 + 10% estrous cow serum (ECS; in vitro-produced with serum [IVPS]) or TCM-199 + 1% BSA (in vitro-produced with serum restriction [IVPSR]). At 72 h postinsemination, IVPSR embryos were transferred into fresh TCM-199 + 10% ECS whereas IVPS embryos had fresh medium replaced. All embryos were cultured for an additional 96 h. In vivo-produced embryos were harvested from superovulated Holstein cows (multiple ovulations [MO]). Grade 1 blastocysts from all groups were transferred singly into Angus heifers. At Day 70 of gestation, fetuses (n = 14, 13, and 11 for MO, IVPS, and IVPSR, respectively) were collected; liver and skeletal muscle samples were snap frozen, and whole-cell RNA (wcRNA) was extracted. Levels of IGF-II mRNA were determined by RNase protection assay and quantified relative to 18S rRNA (mean arbitrary units ± SEM). WcRNA from adult and Day 90 fetal bovine liver were used as controls. Adult liver contained 9-fold less IGF-II mRNA than liver from Day 90 fetuses (P < 0.05). Fetal livers of males originating from IVPS and IVPSR groups possessed approximately 2-fold greater levels of mRNA for IGF-II than those from MO males (0.25 ± 0.07, 0.33 ± 0.04, and 0.14 ± 0.03, respectively; P < 0.05). Levels of mRNA for IGF-II tended to be lower (P = 0.07) in skeletal muscle of fetuses originating from the IVPSR group (0.043 ± 0.005) compared to MO controls (0.070 ± 0.008). In conclusion, at Day 70 of gestation, fetuses originating from in vitro production systems possessed altered levels of IGF-II mRNA in both liver and skeletal muscle.}, number={2}, journal={BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION}, author={Blondin, P and Farin, PW and Crosier, AE and Alexander, JE and Farin, CE}, year={2000}, month={Feb}, pages={384–389} }
 @article{blondin_farin_crosier_alexander_farin_1999, title={Does in vitro culture affect the expression of insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) messenger RNA in fetal bovine liver?}, volume={60}, number={1999}, journal={Biology of Reproduction}, author={Blondin, P. and Farin, P. W. and Crosier, A. E. and Alexander, J. E. and Farin, C. E.}, year={1999}, pages={248–249} }