Insulin-like growth factors and diabetic embryopathy

It was hypothesized that diabetic alterations in the expression of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their receptors may create an abnormal intrauterine environment thus affect early embryo development. This book, therefore, presents studies that were conducted to determine the effects of diabetes on in vitro development of mouse preimplantation embryos as well as mRNA and protein expression of IGF-1, IGF-2, IGF-1R and IGF-2R in the fallopian tube and uterine tissue. The findings showed that the percentage of the two-cell stage embryos which developed to blastocysts was similar in control and diabetic groups but whether the quality of these embryos were the same remains to be investigated. Both the mRNA and protein expression of IGFs and their receptors were significantly altered by maternal diabetes, which suggest the role of IGFs in the pathogenesis of diabetic embryopathy. This book is a good reference for students and professionals doing research in early embryo development.