Bovine early embryonic development and vitamin A.
Vitamin A and its derivatives, collectively termed as retinoids, have been paid attention in recent years because of their effects in bovine reproduction. However, the role of retinoids in the pre-implantation period continues to be largely unexplored, in contrast to later stages of development. Retinoids control cell growth, differentiation and death through binding to specific nuclear receptors by retinoic acid and other active metabolites. This paper reviews how retinoids can influence early embryonic development in cattle through their influence on the follicle, the extrafollicular oocyte and the pre-implantation embryo itself.
Gómez
E
E
Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario, (SERIDA), Area de Genética y Reproducción, SERIDA, Asturias, Spain. egomez@serida.es
Caamaño
J N
JN
Rodríguez
A
A
De Frutos
C
C
Facal
N
N
Díez
C
C
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000196:embryology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D012176:Retinoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D012176:Retinoids; D014801:Vitamin A