ABSTRACT. Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) play a key role in modulating insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), and are considered candidate genes for growth traits in livestock. In this study, we identified the complete coding sequences of IGFBP-1 to -6 in the Nanjiang brown goat, and assessed gene tissue expression patterns by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Expression of mRNA for the six gene targets was detectable in liver, heart, and longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle. Expression levels of IGFBP-1, -2 and -5 mRNA were higher in liver than in heart and LD muscle (P < 0.01), while IGFBP-6 expression was highest in LD muscle, and IGFBP-3 and -4 were predominantly expressed in LD muscle and liver. Higher IGFBP-2, -3, -4, and -6 mRNA levels were observed in LD, compared to triceps brachii muscle (P < 0.01). Additionally, the target genes had different temporal expression profiles during postnatal development. Histological assessment of muscle sections revealed a constant increase in muscle fiber diameter with aging. These results suggest that IGFBPs
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.