Functional role of AKT signaling in bovine early embryonic development: potential link to embryotrophic actions of follistatin.

ABSTRACT:

Background

TGF-β signaling pathways regulate several crucial processes in female reproduction. AKT is a non-SMAD signaling pathway regulated by TGF-β ligands essential for oocyte maturation and early embryonic development in the mouse, but its regulatory role in bovine early embryonic development is not well established. Previously, we demonstrated a stimulatory role for follistatin (a binding protein for specific members of TGF-β superfamily) in early bovine embryonic development. The objectives of the present studies were to determine the functional role of AKT signaling in bovine early embryonic development and embryotrophic actions of follistatin.

Methods

We used AKT inhibitors III and IV as pharmacological inhibitors of AKT signaling pathway during the first 72 h of in

SUBMITTER: Ashry M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5759257 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature