Transgenic myocardial overexpression of fibroblast growth factor-1 increases coronary artery density and branching.

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1 plays important roles during myocardial and coronary morphogenesis. FGF-1 is also involved in the physiological response of the adult heart against ischemia, which includes cardiomyocyte protection and vascular growth. In the present study, we have generated transgenic mice with specific myocardial overexpression of the gene.

[Methods of production and perspectives for use of transgenic domestic animals].

The technique of microinjection is so far the only successful method of gene transfer in farm animals. Fertilized oocytes are collected from superovulated donors by flushing the oviducts and the exogenous gene construct is injected into the male pronucleus of zygotes before transfer into the oviducts or uteri of synchronized recipients. The resulting pups have to be tested for integration and expression of the foreign gene.