• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 1989

In order to study the follicular atretic mechanism in mammalian ovary, the relationship between pyknotic index (PI) of granulosa cells and the steroid concentrations in the follicular fluid of atretic follicle was investigated. Follicles were isolated from porcine ovary according to their sizes and the reproductive phases. Steroid concentrations were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. As PI increased, the concentration of progesterone was significantly increased(p<0.05), whereas testosterone and estradiol showed no significant changes in their concentration. As follicular size was increased, PI of follicular GC in the luteal phase was increased significantly(p<0.05) and the molar ratio of progesterone to testosterone was increased in the follicles of follicular phase. It can be concluded that progesterone accumulated in the follicular fluid as atresia of the follicles was progressed, and that PI of granulosa cells could be used as one of convenient and pratical criteria for the identification of follicular atresia.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.448-455
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• 1992

생쥐에 hCG를 투여한 후 자궁벽에서 hCG와 결합하는 세포의 종류를 판별하고, 그 세포가 hCG에 의해 어떠한 영향을 받는지를 알아보기 위하of 면역세포화학적 염색을 수행하였다. p-hCG에 대한 단일크론항체에 양성반응을 나타내는 세포는 주로 자궁벽의 자궁근막 삼각과 자궁내막 기저층에 분포하였으며, 세포질에서 양성반응을 일으킨 것으미 관찰되었다. hOG를 투여하고 3, 6, 24시간 후에 각각 자궁벽라 자궁근막에서 양성반응세포를 관찰한 결과, 양성반응세포의 이동현상을 관찰할 수 있었다. 즉, 자궁근막에서 보면, 3시간 후에는 자궁근막의 혈관내부와 주변에서 다수가 관찰되었으며, 6시간 후에는 소수가 관찰되었고, 24시간 후에는 관찰되지 않았다. 또한 동일 시간에 적출된 자궁벽에서는 6시간에서 가장 많은 수의 양성세포가 관찰되었다. 따라서 자궁벽과 자궁근막에서 관찰되는 양성반응세포의 수 사이에는 반비례적 상관관계를 나타냈다. 한편, 난소를 적출한 생쥐의 자궁에서는 양성반응세포의 수가 현저히 감소된 것으로 나타났으며, hematoxvlin-eosln 염색 결과 양성반응세포로 추정되는 세포의 세포질에서 호산성과림이 관찰되었다. 이와 같은 결과로 볼 때, 양성세포는 GMG(granulated metrial gland) 세포로 판단되었으며, 이 세포의 이동은 스테로이드호르몬에 의해 영향을 받는 것으로 사료되었다.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.74-80
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• 1999

These studies were carried out to investigate the effects of nonsteroidal ecdysone agonist, tebufenozide on embryonic and postembryonic development of sycamore lace bug, Corythucha ciliata. Tebufenozide exhibited ovicidal activity($LC_{50}=4.0$ ppm). Susceptibility of each instar nymphs to tebufenozide was nearly same($LC_{50}=2.3{\sim}6.0$ ppm). The tebufenozide treatment in the final instar affected the emergence, longevity and fecundity of surving adults significantly. Tebufenozide applied at high concentration (10 ppm) to younger adults delayed prioviposition period, and decreased adult longevity, the number of eggs laid per female and hatchability. The treatment also inhibited the ovarian development of the female adults.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.479-490
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• 1991

포유류 배아의 착상기전을 규명할 목적의 일환으로 자궁내막조직의 탈락막 형성과 분화에 미치는 난소 스테로이드 호르몬의 영향과 인위적 자극등의 영향을 조사하였다. 가임신을 유도시킨 흰쥐와 정상임신군의 자궁내막조직을 착상부위와 비 착상부위로 분리하여 자궁내막조직의 분화에 지표가 되는 Alkaline phosphatase(ALPase)의 활성을 측정하였다. 가임신군에서 인위적 자극(trauma)을 가한 자궁이 자극을 받지않은(control) 자궁에 비해 Progesterone(P)만을, 또는 progesterone과 estradiol(E + P)을 동시 처리받은 실험군에서 ALPase 활성이 유의한 차이(p<0.01)로 높게 나타났다. 정상임신군에서는 착상시기인 임신 제6일군의 착상부위에서 I처리군과 P처리군의 ALPase활성이 비착상 부위에 비해 유의한 차이(P < 0.05)로 크게 나타나며, 특히 임신 제6일군에서는 착상, 비착상 부위의 P처리군의 활성이 Intact군보다 유의하게(P<0.05) 높아졌다. 정상임신 제 9일 Intact군의 ALPase활성은 임신 제3일, 6일의 Intact 군의 활성에 비하여 착상(3, 6일 :P<0.01), 비 착상부위 (3일 :P<0.05, 6일 :P<0.02)에서 다같이 유의한 차이로 높아졌다. 본 연구결과에서 배아가 분화, 발생해 감에따라 자궁내막조직 분화도 활발해지고, 착상부위 분화는 착상시기부터 현저해지며, 특히 P호르몬의 영향이 크다는 것과 배아 아닌 인위적 자극으로도 탈락막 형성 유도가 가능하다는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.394-400
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• 1991

A question whether abnormal responsiveness of hypothalamic catecholaminergic nervous system to ovarian steoid hormones in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) exist was investigated. Four groups of experimental animals were prepared for SHR and normotensive Wistar rats (NW) respectively: 1) intact, 2) ovariectomized (OVX+V), 3) ovariectomized and estrogen treated (OVX+E), 4) ovariectomized and estrogen plus progesterone treated (OVX+E+P) groups. Hypothalami from experimental animals were dissected out and used for determination of .alpha.-adrenergic receptor binding characteristics and catecholamine contents. Norepinephrine(NE) content and B$_{max}$ of $\alpha_1$-adrenergic receptors in hypothalami were greater in intact SHR than in intact NW, but dopamine(DA) content was lower in SHR than in NW. Neither contents of NE and DA nor binding characteristics of $\alpha_1$-adrenergic receptors were different in OVX+V and OVX+E group from intact group of both SHR and NW. Kd and B$_{max}$ of $\alpha_1$-adrenergic receptors in OVX+E+P was lower than that in intact SHR but not in NW. DA content was lower in OVX+E+P than in intact group of SHR and NW. The result of the present study indicates that there is an abnormal responsiveness of hypothalamic catecholaminergic nervous system to ovarian steroid hormones in SHR which may be one of genetically-determined factors probably not responsible for the development of hypertension.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2006

Objective: Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), a novel hypothalamic neuropeptide, has been suggested to play a role in ovarian folliculogenesis. The present study evaluated the effect of PACAP on the growth of preantral follicles. Methods: Preantral follicles were mechanically isolated from ovaries of 21-day-old rats and cultured in groups for 3 days in serum-free medium in the absence or presence of PACAP-38 ($10^{-6}M$). Results: Treatment with PACAP-38 resulted in an increase in follicle diameter by 75% whereas treatment with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) increased follicle diameter by 65%. PACAP-38 treatment enhanced the granulosa cell proliferation as measured by thymidine incorporation analysis. Furthermore, the production of progesterone by cultured granulosa cells and GFSHR-17 cell line was stimulated by PACAP-38. Interestingly, PACAP enhanced FSH action on stimulation of SF-1 and aromatase gene expression. Conclusion: The present results demonstrate that PACAP stimulated preantral follicle growth by potentiating proliferation and by stimulating steroidogenesis.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2010

FOXL2 is a winged-helix/forkhead (FH) domain transcription factor, and mutations in FOXL2 gene are responsible for blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES). BPES is an autosomal dominant genetic disease. BPES type I patients exhibit both premature ovarian failure (POF) and eyelid malformation, while only the eyelid defect is observed in BPES type II. FOXL2-null ovaries showed a blockage of granulosa cell differentiation, suggesting that FOXL2 plays an essential role for proper ovarian folliculogenesis. Previously, we screened for FOXL2-interacting proteins and identified steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) which is known to be required for gonad development and transactivates steroidogenic enzymes including CYP19. In the present study, we demonstrated that FOXL2 transactivates CYP19 and stimulated the transcriptional activation of CYP19 induced by SF-1. In contrast, FOXL2 mutants found in BPES type I and II exhibited compromised abilities to enhance CYP19 induction mediated by SF-1. Thus, this study provides a functional difference between wild-type FOXL2 and its mutants which may aid to understand pathophysiology of BPES elicited by FOXL2 mutations.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of castration and ovariectomy on growth performance and plasma hormone concentration in pigs. A total of 48 pigs of 35 days of age were used. The results obtained in the present study are summarized as follows: 1. No significant difference was found in average daily gain between ovariectomy group (898.6g) and control gilt group (862.7g), and between castration group (926.0g) and control boar group (945.5g), respectively. Average daily gain of control boar group, however, was significantly higher than that of control gilt group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in feed/gain between ovariectomy and control gilt group and between castration and control boar group, respectively. Backfat thickness was significantly (p<0.05) higher in ovariectomy or castration group than in control gilt or boar group, respectively. 2. Plasma concentration of IGF-I was significantly (p<0.05) increased during the period of 5 weeks of age (45.1 $\pm$0.72 ng/ml) to 15 weeks of age (356.3$\pm$3.05 ng/ml), and maintained constantly afterwards in control gilt group, as was in control boar group. That of ICF-I tended to be lower in ovariectomy or castration group than in control gilt or boar group, respectively. Regarding steroid hormones of estradiol-17$\beta$, progesterone, and testosterone, the concentration was extremely low at 5 weeks of age, however, increased from 11 weeks to 23 weeks of age in control gilt or boar group, while it was nearly under detection limit in ovariectomy or castration group. 3. Chemical compositions of pork loins were not affected by ovariectomy or castration, except that crude ash content was significantly (p<0.05) higher in castration group than in control boar group. These results indicated that ovariectomy or castration had no effects on growth performance and feed utilization. However, the concentration of sex steroid hormones was under detection limit in ovariectomy and castration group. Further studies, however, are needed to develope the techniques which minimize the stress related with castration or ovariectomy for the production of high quality pork.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.353-362
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• 2009

GnRH and its receptor are known to express locally in the ovary and to regulate the ovarian function by affecting on granulosa and lutein cells. It has been reported that GnRH directly causes apoptosis in the granulosa and lutein cells of the ovary. However, whether the apoptosis of the cells by GnRH is recovered by FSH as an anti-apoptotic factor is not yet known. In this study, we evaluated the apoptosis and the production of progesterone $(P_4)$ and estradiol $(E_2)$ after treatment with 5, 50, and 100 ng/$m\ell$ GnRH and 1 IU/ml FSH in the granulosa-lutein cells that are obtained during oocyte-retrieval for IVF-ET. Results of DNA fragment analysis and TUNEL assay demonstrated that DNA fragmentation and the rate of apoptotic cells were increased in a dose-dependent manner showing a significant increase in the cells treated with 100 ng/$m\ell$ GnRH. In addition, we found that FSH suppresses the apoptosis of the cells induced by GnRH. In the results of chemiluminescence assay for $P_4$ and $E_2$, $P_4$ production was decreased by GnRH treatment, whereas $E_2$ production was not changed. We also demonstrated that FSH inhibits the suppressive effect of GnRH on $P_4$ production as the result of apoptosis. The present results suggest that GnRH agonist using in ovarian hyperstimulation protocol might induce the dysfunction of the ovary, but its function could be recovered by FSH. These results also will be expected to use as the basic data to elucidate the physiological role of GnRH and to develop new ovarian hyperstimulation protocols for IVF-ET.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.261-268
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• 2011

To clarify the annual reproductive cycle of the Korean perch, Coreoperca herzi, the seasonal changes in gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI), histological aspects of gonad and liver, and plasma levels of sex steroid hormones were investigated from June 1994 to April 1996. The annual variations of GSI and HSI were positively related to the plasma levels of sex steroid hormones. Estradiol-$17{\beta}$ (E2) and testosterone levels were raised during the April to May. Based on the related results, annual reproductive cycle of the fish could be divided into five successive stages; 1) Growing stage (from February to March: GSI was increased rapidly and oocytes with yolk vesicle was increased. Nucleus migrates toward the animal pole. Spermatids were activated from the epithelial tissue of lobuli). 2) Maturation and spawning stage (from April to June: Oocytes were accumulated yolk globules. Active spermatogenesis was observed). 3) Degeneration or stagnation phase (from July to August). 4) Recovery phase (from September to November) and 5) resting phase (from December to January). The main spawning period was in May.