Scientists from the University of Cambridge discovered that during fetal development, children use a special gene to steal nutrients from a woman. Research published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
When an egg is fertilized, the embryo receives a copy of the gene from both parents. But the phenomenon of genetic imprinting can cause one copy of an inherited gene to be suppressed, allowing the other copy to run freely.
In a new study, biologists have found that mouse fetuses use one copy of an imprinted gene inherited from their fathers to siphon nutrients from their mothers through the placenta.
Of the genes a child inherits, paternal copies tend to stimulate fetal growth, while maternal copies limit it. This is because the mother nurtures the child during pregnancy, but must also ensure her own survival.
The gene discovered by scientists encodes the Igf2 protein – insulin-like growth factor 2. Insulin helps cells absorb glucose from the blood, and pregnant women often become less sensitive to insulin in the later stages of pregnancy. This will likely prevent their cells from absorbing the nutrients their children need.
Experiments on mice have shown that the Igf2 protein produced by placental cells reduces the sensitivity of the pregnant mouse to insulin, thereby providing better glucose to the fetus.
Mice without a working copy of the Igf2 gene from their fathers were smaller at birth because their mothers did not provide them with enough nutrients. The offspring of these animals also showed early signs of diabetes and obesity later in life.
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