author(s)
Balamurugan TC and Prakash Krupakaran R

abstract
A study was undertaken to detect the presence of Matrix Metallo Proteinases (MMP) in the serum Vanaraja fowl, a native poultry breed developed by ICAR in Hyderabad. Before feeding in the early morning, serum samples were collected from three male and eight female healthy birds in a heparinized vacutainer from an organized commercial farm. Birds were properly vaccinated and deworming was done. All the serum samples were subjected to gelatin zymography (0.3%). It was revealed that only two major bands were observed at 72, 62 kDa of MMP-2 in both the groups. The intensity of latent form MMP-2 was higher than that of active form of MMP-2. Above the level of MMP-2, no band was observed corresponding to the level of MMP-9. It was further observed that there was no difference between the expression patterns of MMP-2 in both the sexes. It was concluded that the existence of serum MMP was confirmed by the presence of both the forms of active and latent form of MMP-2 and it was further inferred that MMP-9 could not be expressed in the serum of both the sexes. However the MMP 9 gene was present and it was not expressed in the serum by gelatin zymography.