Establishment of an ELISA for the Detection of Native Bovine Pregnancy-Associated Glycoproteins Secreted by Trophoblast Binucleate Cells

The pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) are a large gene family expressed in trophoblast cells of ruminant ungulates. The detection of PAGs in maternal serum has served as the basis for pregnancy detection in ruminant ungulates and also for use as markers of trophoblast development and placental viability. The methods described provide a means for the rapid purification of bovine PAGs by affinity chromatography and the establishment of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure PAG concentrations in maternal blood plasma and other biological fluids.