Figure 3.

Real-time RT-PCR validation of microarray results. All expressions were normalized to GAPDH in the same RNA sample, analyzed by the 2^-ΔΔCt method [44]. Data is shown as (Mean +/- SEM) fold changes. Upregulation in degenerative embryos is represented by bars above the x axis while downregulation in degenerative embryos is represented by bars below the x axis. For genes PHLDA2, FERMT2, RP2, and SHISA2, real-time RT-PCR was carried out in three amplified aRNA samples and two unamplified mRNA samples for each of blastocysts and degenerative embryos (Additional file 1). For genes MCF2L, TGFBR3, SLC11A2, SERPINC1, and FDFT1, real-time RT-PCR was performed in a different set of three unamplified mRNA samples for each of blastocysts and degenerative embryos (Additional file 1).