Bovine fetus-specific serum proteins Purification and characterization of α1-fetoprotein and immunological identification of α2- and β-fetoproteins

Distribution of alpha1-fetoprotein in fetal plasma, allantoic fluid, amniotic fluid and maternal plasma of cows

“…The concentrations of AFP in bovine fetal serum have previously been estimated by a radial immunodiffusion method (Abe, Komatsu, Takeishi & Tsunekane, 1976) and AFP, the most predominant of 3 fetus-specific proteins in cattle, has now been purified and characterized (Lai, Peters & Lorscheider, 1978b) and a radioimmunoassay for it developed (Lai, Smith, Church & Lorscheider, 1979). This assay was used to measure concentrations of AFP in various fluids during gestation in cows.…”

Synthesis of alpha-fetoprotein by the pre-implantation and post-implantation bovine embryo

“…The most predominant of three fetus-specific proteins in cattle is ,-fetoprotein (Lai, Peters & Lorscheider, 1978), and the distribution of this protein has been reported in bovine fetal fluids from 42 days until full-term birth at 284 days (Smith, Lai, Robertson, Church & Lorscheider, 1979). Since methods are now available for the collection of pre-implantation embryos in cows (Church & Shea, 1977), the objectives of the present investigation were to establish the time of onset of AFP synthesis during early bovine embryogenesis, and specifically to determine whether implantation and placentation precede expression of the AFP gene.…”

“…determinations in each sonicated tissue or fluid were performed as described by Lowry, Rosebrough, Farr & Randall (1951 (Lai et al, 1978) for 60 min at 28°C and 18 h at 4°C. Then 150 µ goat anti-rabbit -globulin (2 units; Calbiochem, San Diego, California, U.S.A.) and 75 µ normal rabbit serum were added and incubation was continued for 1 h at 28°C and overnight at 4°C.…”

“…A current of 10 mA per gel was used until the tracking dye front had passed through the stacking gel, after which the current was increased to 20 mA. Bovine ,-fetoprotein (Lai et al, 1978) was employed as the reference standard. The gel was stained with 0-05% Coomassie Brilliant Blue (G250) in methanol-water-glacial acetic acid (5:5:1 by vol.)…”

“…In one experiment the yolk sac lysate from a 27-day pre-implantation embryo was immunoprecipitated using a monospecific antiserum against bovine AFP (Lai et al, 1978). The total precipitable radioactivity was electrophoresed and fluorography was performed as described above with a 3-day exposure.…”