Apoptosis and autophagy in involuting bovine mammary gland is accompanied by up-regulation of TGF-beta1 and suppression of somatotropic pathway.

Regulation of mammary gland remodeling during the lactation cycle in cattle still remains unclear. The present study focused on the role of TGF-beta1 and somatotropic pathways proteins in control of the switch between survival and death of bovine mammary epithelial cells (MEC). Expressions of TGF-beta1, TGF-betaRII, IGF-IRalpha, IGF-IRbeta, GH-R, IGFBP-3, -4, and -5 in mammary tissue explants in Holstein-Fresian heifers (n = 7) and cows (n = 23) in early lactation (1-100 day), late lactation (200-260 day) and drying off (280-340 day) were compared with biochemical indices of apoptosis (caspase 3, 89 kDa fragment of PARP) and autophagy (Beclin1).

Association of the polymorphism in the 5'-noncoding region of the bovine growth hormone receptor gene with meat production traits in Polish Black-and-White cattle.

Single and combined effects of polymorphisms in the 5'-noncoding region of the bovine growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene on the traits related to meat production were examined in Polish Black-and-White (BW; Friesian) cattle. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the P1 promoter region were analysed. One-hundred and fifty young bulls were included in the study.