[Methylation of H19 gene in ES mice and embryonic stem cells]

To investigate the relationship between the methylation status of imprinted gene H19 and the development of mice derived completely from Embryonic stem cells (ES) by tetraploid embryo complementation. The methylation status of two loci at 5'UTR region in imprinted gene H19 in normal adult control mice, 22 adult ES mice, 8 newborn dead ES mice and embryonic stem (ES) cells with different passage number were detected by using of methylation-sensitive restriction endonuclease-PCR technique. The results indicated that the methylation status of the imprinted gene H19 in adult ES mice were identical to that of adult control mice. However, some significant differences in the methylation status of the imprinted gene H19 were found among newborn dead ES mice, adult ES mice and normal adult control mice. Furthermore, the methylation status of the imprinted gene H19 in ES cells were probably different from that of adult ES mice and normal adult control mice.