Abstract

CD44 family belongs to a large group of proteins that bind to hyaluronic acid. It has important role in oocyte maturation, fertilization and embryo development. We analyzed CD44 in oocytes and embryos of goat and different breeds of sheep. We used both Kermani and baluchi breeds of sheep, two Rayeni and Tali goats. Domestic animals kept after feeding for 3 months exude embryos and oocyte. After this, the animals were cured by keeping full progesterone for 14 days in the vagina.  Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) hormone was injected from the animals’ vagina and made ready for sampling after 1 day. After that, mature oocyte was exuded from the animals’ uterus and they were taken for slaughter. To get the embryos, male animals were kept beside them. After 6 days these animals were taken for slaughter. In another way, ovary collected from the slaughter house exuded immature oocyte. In the laboratory, immature and mature oocyte was produced. So by keeping sperm under environmental condition embryo culture is produced. The samples exude RNA using kit; after that, cDNA was produced by special protocol. The products produced by conventional PCR and Real time PCR were studied. Result shows that gene expression does not exist in immature oocyte of sheep. In Tali goat, expression of this gene was more than in Rayeni goat.

Key words: CD44 gene, gene expression, real time PCR, goat, sheep.