Differential expression of the ras gene family in mice.

We compared the expression of the ras gene family (H-ras, K-ras, and N-ras) in adult mouse tissues and during development. We found substantial variations in expression among different organs and in the amounts of the different transcripts originating from each gene, especially for the N-ras gene. The expression patterns were consistent with the reported preferential tissue activation of ras genes and suggested different cellular functions for each of the ras genes.