Differential mRNA expression from oviduct and uterus between control Smad4 fx/fx and mutant Amhr2-cre; Smad4 fx/fx mice

In female mammals, the oviduct and uterus play an important role in successful pregnancy by affecting on gamete transport, fertilization, implantation and maintenance of pregnancy. In the mutant Amhr2-cre; Smad4 fx/fx mice, the reproductive functions of both the oviduct and uterus are impaired due to the development of oviductal diverticula and defective uterine vascularization and decidualization, respectively. We used microarrays to decipher the gene expression changes responsible for this phenotype. Nine to eleven weeks old mutant and control mice were mated with wild-type male mice. Oviduct (8 weeks corresponds to the time of diverticula appearance) and uteri were collected at day 6 of gestation, when decidualization and vascularization develop after implantation. Collected tissues were subjected to RNA extraction. RNAs were used for hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.