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In the transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) superfamily, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are one of the largest subfamily, among which BMP-2 and BMP-4 are the most powerful molecules in biological activities. They have been shown to be involved in follicle development of ovary in mammals. However, whether these factors are involved in folliculogenesis in rabbit is still unknown. This study was performed to determine the relationships between ovarian development and the expression of BMP (BMP-2,-4) mRNAs in rabbit. Ovaries were removed from different development stages of rabbits (30-, 60-, 120-, 180-day age and 6-day encyesis), and method of RT-PCR was used for the cloning. The relative transcript levels of BMP-2,-4 genes were measured by real-time quantitative PCR, with GAPDH as an internal control. Known from the results, the BMP-2,-4 genes showed similar but also different expression patterns during ovarian development; they both increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the ovary on 60-day compared with 120-day and 6-day encyesis, and the expression of BMP-2 was always higher than that of BMP-4. The expression law of BMP-2,-4 genes presented in this study may lay the theoretical foundation for the study of BMPs' biological function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the perfusion characteristics of rabbit liver tumours before and after Ar-He (argon–helium) cryoablation using functional CT and to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Ar-He cryoablation. VX-2 tumour was implanted into the livers of 30 New Zealand white rabbits. Two weeks after tumour implantation, Ar-He cryoablation was performed on these rabbits. Functional CT was performed on the rabbits before and after treatment on days 1, 5, 14, 21 and 35. In the meantime, five rabbits were killed, and the livers were removed for histopathological examination at each of the time points mentioned above. Perfusion characteristics of the tumour and hot spot, such as blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV) and permeability, were analysed based on multislice CT. Histopathological studies corresponding to functional CT were observed, and the therapeutic effects (whether the tumour disappeared completely or still remained) were judged. The two-tailed student’s t-test was used to compare the differences between the effect of pre- and post-Ar-He cryoablation treatment on tumour perfusion parameters. After cryoablation treatment, the number of tumours exhibiting complete necrosis was 13 (52%), and their perfusion parameters, such as BF, BV and permeability values, were significantly lower than those before treatment ( P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). After treatment, the number of incomplete necrotic tumours was 12 (48%). In the earlier stage (within 14 days of treatment), the whole tumour perfusion parameters of BF, BV and permeability were significantly lower than those before treatment ( P < 0.05). In the late stage (more than 14 days of treatment), the whole tumour perfusion parameters of BF, BV and permeability were not significantly different compared with the pretreatment results ( P > 0.05). The hot spot perfusion parameters of incomplete necrotic tumours, such as BF, BV and permeability values, showed no significant differences compared with pretreatment ( P > 0.05). Functional CT can measure the perfusion characteristics of hepatic tumours and is consistent with histopathological changes in the tumour after Ar-He cryoablation. Functional CT might also be accurate in judging the therapeutic effect of Ar-He cryoablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]