Figure 3.

Local application of growth factors by means of beads mimics the effect of embryos on the pseudopregnant uterus. Beads preabsorbed with BSA, HB-EGF, EGF, TGFα, epiregulin (Epi), IGF-1, BMP2, BMP4, or SHH were transferred into each horn between 1000 and 1100 h on Day 4 of pseudopregnancy. Recipients were examined at 1100 h on Days 5, 6, or 8 for implantation reaction by the blue dye method. (A) Reaction to beads loaded with BSA compared with beads loaded with HB-EGF. (Bar, 0.5 cm.) (B) Quantitation of results. The numbers on top of the bars indicate the number of mice responding/total number of mice used, whereas the numbers within parentheses indicate the number of blue bands/total number of beads transferred. χ² followed by Fisher's exact tests showed that the number of blue bands was significantly higher for beads loaded with HB-EGF or IGF-1 (P = 0.001) as compared with beads with BSA or other growth factors.