• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.263-268
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• 2000

The development of single blastomeres isolated from 2-, 4- and 8-cell mouse embryos and the ability of such blastomeres to survive slow freezing were studied. Of 223, 60 and 188 single blastomeres isolated from 2-, 4- and 8-cell mouse embryos, respectively, 111 blastomeres (49.8%) from 2-cell embryos, 12 blastomeres (20.0%) from 4-cell embryos and blastomeres (16.5) from 8-cell embryos developed into blastocysts after culture for 96 hrs. The recovery rate was 54.2% (65/120), 46.4% (13/28) and 24.3% (17/70) of blastomeres derived from 2-, 4- and 8-cell embryos following freezing and thawing and the survival of frozen-thawed blastomeres was 27.1% (16/59), 36.4% (4/11) and 17.6% (3/17), and respectively. The apparently six normal fetuses were obtained from frozen-thawed blastomere from 2-cell embryos after transferring into the recipients. These results indicate that mouse btastomeres isolated from preimplatation stage embryos can survive storage in liquid nitrogen following slow freezing.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.9
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• pp.29-36
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• 1991

The study was carried out to investigate the viability and the offspring production rate of single blastomeres and biopsied 4-cell mouse embryos and, also to examine the efficiency of biopsy. The results obtained are summerised as follows: 1. The separated blastomeres from 4-cell embryos and intact 4-cell embryos which were cultured in Medium 2 were developed to trophoblastic vesicle and blastocyst embryo by 82.6% and 89.5%. respectively. 2. The biopsied embryos from 4-cell embryos and intact 4-cell embryos which were cultured in Medium 2 were developed to blastocyst embryo by 83.3% and 90.4%, respectively. 3. The biospied blastomeres and the separated blastomeres from 4-cell embryos which were cultured in Medium 2 were developed to trophoblastic vesicle by 80.8% and 83.3%, respectively. 4. The biopsied embryos from 4-cell embryos and intact 4-cell embryos were transferred to recipients, and the offspring rate was 36% and 48.6%, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.275-284
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• 1995

In sexing early mammalian embryos, viability of biopsied embryos and accuracy of sexing are both important. We have been previously developed efficient methods for biopsy of mouse embryos and sex identification from a single blastomere by PCR. In this study, squeeze method used for biopsy of mouse embryos was applied to bovine embryos. Compact bovine morulae were obtained by flushing uteri on Day 6 after the onset of standing estrus. A small number of blastomeres could be isolated from bovine morulae by the biopsy method. All 13 biopsied morulae were survived and 10 embryos developed to normal blastocyst after 24 h of culture. Subsequently, sex of the bovien embryos was identified from a few blastomeres by PCR amplifying a Y-specific bovine DNA sequence. Among 13 embryos analyzed, 7 embryos were determined as males and 6 embryos as females. Thus, bovine embryos at morular stage could be successfully biopsied by the squeeze method and sex of the bovine embryos determined from biopsied material by PCR.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.112-112
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.105-105
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• 2002

염색체의 구조적 이상으로 인한 습관성 유산과 기형아의 출산을 예방하기 위해 착상전 배아에서 할구를 분석하여 정상적인 핵형을 가진 배아만을 이식하는 착상전 유전자 진단 (preimplantation genetic diagnosis, PGD)의 성공적인 임상 적용이 보고되고 있으며, 그 적용 범위가 확대되고 있다. 그러나 일반적인 간기의 핵상을 이용한 PGD에서는 형광직접보합법 probe의 제약으로 보인자와 정상적인 핵형을 구분할 수 없는 단점이 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 보다 정확한 PGD를 위해 생쥐 배아를 이용하여 분리한 할구에서 중기 염색체상을 획득하기 위해 미세소관 (microtubule) 형성 저해제를 처리하였으며, 이를 통해 확립된 방법을 인간의 PGD에 적용하고자 하였다. 과배란이 유도된 ICR 생쥐에서 4- 또는 8-세포기 배아를 수획하여 colcemid, nocodazole, vinblastine을 각각 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0$\mu$M을 처리하고, hoechst 33342로 염색하여 핵상을 관찰하여 최적의 농도를 결정하였다. 또한 각 미세소관 형성 저해제를 혼합 처리하여 가장 높은 중기 염색체상을 획득할 수 있는 혼합 처리를 결정하였다. 이렇게 결정된 혼합 처리 방법을 인간의 체외 수정 및 배아 이식술에서 획득된 3PN 배아에 처리하여 중기 염색체를 획득하였다. Colcemid, nocodazole, vinblastine 모두 1 $\mu$M이 최적 농도임을 확인할 수 있었다 (각각 96.3%, 92.0%, 98,4%). 미세소관 형성저해제를 혼합 처리하였을 경우 nocodazole과 vinblastine (각각 1$\mu$M)을 혼합 처리했을 때 중기 염색체 획득률(97.3%)이 가장 높았다. 인간의 3PN 배아에 1$\mu$M의 nocodazole과 vinblastine을 혼합 처리한 후, 113개의 할구를 분석하여 44개(38.9%)의 할구에서 중기 염색체를 확인할 수 있었다. 본 실험 결과를 통해 중기 염색체를 획득하기 위하여 미세소관 형성 저해제를 처리하는 방법은 생쥐의 배아에서는 효과적이지만, 인간의 배아에서는 그 효율이 다소 낮음을 알 수 있었다. 그러나 이 방법을 개선하여 인간의 할구에서 중기 염색체의 획득률을 높이고, 이를 염색체의 구조적 이상에 대한 착상전 유전자 진단에 적용한다면, 보인자와 정상의 핵상을 구분하여 정상의 핵상만을 갖는 배아의 이식을 통하여 더욱 정확한 착상전 유전자 진단을 시행할 수 있으리라 사료된다.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.17-17
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• 2001

착상전 수정란 단계에서 형질전환 수정란의 선발은 형질전환동물의 효율을 증대시킬 수 있는 방법이다. 성공적인 형질전환동물의 생산을 위해서는 생산된 수정란의 mosaicism 빈도를 감소시켜 전체 할구에서의 유전자 발현을 유도하는 것이 최적일 것이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 돼지의 웅성 생식세포를 이용한 형질전환동물의 생산에 있어서 다양한 정자세포 이용시 형질전환 수정란의 생산성 및 mosaicism 빈도를 조사하였다. 아울러 돼지 웅성생식세포내 GFP 유전자도입시 세포들의 생존율 및 원형정자세포분리 후 배양에 따른 형태적 변화를 관찰하였다. 돼지의 웅성 생식세포내 GFP 유전자 도입은 전기자극법 (1.3 ㎸/cm, 200 $\mu\textrm{s}$) 에 의하여 수행되었으며, 이 때 생존율은 60-70%이였다. 유전자가 도입된 전체 세포중 원형정자세포군의 분리는 유식세포분리기에 의하여 수행하였으며, 전체집단에 대한 분리군의 비율은 평균 16.2%이였다. 형질전환 수정란의 생산은 정자 (ICSI), 원형정자세포 (ROSI), 배양후 확장된 원형정자세포(ELSI)를 이용하였으며 각각의 난할율은 ICSI (82.9%), ROSI (59.1%), ELSI (62.1%)로 유의한 차이를 나타내었다. 그리고 8세포기까지의 배발달율은 각각 61.1, 40.9 및 48.6%이였으며, 상실배 및 포배기형성율은 각각 24.6, 18.1 및 32.4%이였다. 형광현미경하에서 GFP 단백질이 발현된 8세포기 수정란을 대상으로 각각의 할구를 primer extension pream-plification (PEP) PCR 방법으로 분석한 결과, ICSI 및 ROSI 실시후 대부분 (15/20, 9/10) 의 수정란은 3~4개의 할구에서만 GFP 유전자의 존재여부를 확인할 수 있었으며, 전체 할구에서 GFP 유전자가 모두 확인된 수정란은 없었다. 반면에 배양된 확장 원형정자세포를 이용하여 생산한 수정란의 경우, 4/10 (40%)에서 전체 할구내에 GFP 유전자의 존재를 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 결과는 비록 배발달율 및 GFP 유전자 발현율에 있어서는 ELSI방법이 ICSI 등의 방법보다 현저히 낮았지만, mosaicsism 빈도가 낮아 바람직한 형질전환 수정란 생산에서는 오히려 유용한 방법이라고 사료된다. 또한 외래 유전자의 도입효율 면에서 후기 원형정자나 성숙정자보다 초기 원형정자세포에 외래유전자를 도입한 다음, 성숙시킨 확장원형 정자세포를 이용하는 방법이 보다 우수하다는 것을 시사하였다. 따라서 본 연구결과는 포유동물의 웅성 생식세포를 이용하여 nonmosaicisn을 나타내는 형질전환수정란을 생산하고 선발할 수 있는 일련의 기술적 과정을 정립하였다고 사료된다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.275-276
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• 2003

인간과 같은 척삭동물문에 속하는 우렁쉥이 (Halocynthia roretzi)의 유생은 척추동물의 체제를 매우 단순화시킨 구조를 하고 있다 (Nishida, 1997). 유생은 약 10여종의 세포들로 구성되며, 미부 중앙에 척삭과 그 위에 신경관의 원형 (prototype)을 갖는다. 모든 배(embryo)들은 초기 발생과정에서 언제나 동일한 세포분열과 발생운명 양식을 나타낸다. 또한, 해부현미경을 이용하여 수정란으로부터 초기 원장배에 이르기까지 원하는 하나의 할구만을 분리, 제거 및 재결합하는 등의 micromanipulation실험이 가능하다. (중략)

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2006

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether embryonic stem (ES) cells can be established from isolated blastomeres of mouse embryos. Methods: Blastomeres were separated from mouse (C57Bl/6J) 2- or 4-cell embryos. Isolated blastomeres or whole 4-cell embryos were co-cultured with mitosis-arrested STO feeder cells in DMEM supplemented with recombinant murine leukemia inhibitory factor and ES-qualified fetal bovine serum. After the tentative ES cell lines were maintained from isolated blastomeres or whole embryos, some of them were frozen and the others were sub-cultured continually. Characteristics of tentative ES cell lines as were evaluated for specific genes expressions with immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. Results: One ES cell line (3.0%) was established from isolated blastomere of 2-cell embryo and one cell line (4.0%) from isolated two blastomeres of 4-cell embryo. And five cell lines (16.7%) were established from whole 4-cell embryos. Both cell lines from isolated blastomere and whole embryo expressed mouse ES cell specific markers such as SSEA-1, Oct-4 and alkaline phosphatase. Marker genes of three germ layers were expressed from embryoid bodies of both cell lines. Conclusion: This study suggests that mouse ES cells could be established from isolated blastomeres, although the efficiency is lower than whole embryos. This animal model could be applied to establishment of autologous human ES cells from biopsied blastomeres of preimplantation embryos in human IVF-ET program.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 2008

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on the derivation of mouse ES cells from isolated blastomeres. Two-cell stage mouse embryos were obtained from superovulated BDF1 female mice. Collected embryos were cultured to blastocyst stage in culture medium supplemented with 0, 1,000, 2,500 or 5,000 U/mL of LIF. Cultured blastocysts were examined by counting the number of cells in the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) using differential staining method. When 2-cell embryos were cultured with 2,500 U/ml of LIF, the cell numbers of ICM significantly increased in comparing with those of the control($21.0{\pm}4.0$ vs. $15.9{\pm}5.0$, P<0.01) and 1,000 U/mL of LIF-containing group ($21.0{\pm}4.0$ vs. $16.6{\pm}4.9$, P<0.05). We used an ES cell establishment medium with 20% Knockout Serum Replacement and 0.01 mg/mL ACTH instead of fetal bovine serum. Establishing efficacy of ES cell lines were the highest in 2,500 U/mL of LIF-containing group as 36.7% (11/30). This culture medium was applied to the culture of isolated blastomeres and to derivate ES cell lines. Three ES cell lines (21.4%) from isolated blastomeres of 2-cell stage embryos were established. In further experiments, we could establish one ES cell line (4.0%) from single blastomere of 4-cell stage embryo. The subcultured ES cells and their embryoid bodies were characterized by analyzing gene expression for undifferentiation and differentiation marker gene using immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. In conclusion, LIF supplementation in culture medium could increase the cell number in ICM of blastocysts and support derivation of ES cell lines from isolated blastomeres.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.425-435
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• 1998

To improve the efficiency of nuclear transplantation in bovine, in this study the development in vitro of nuclear transferred (NT) embryos was compared by different activation regimens of the enucleated oocytes. The effect of developmental stage and culture system of donor nuclei on fusion and development in vitro of NT embryos were also evaluated. Oocytes were collected from Hanwoo ovaries obtained from slaughterhouse and matured in Ham's F-10 supplemented with hormones. After 20~22 h maturation, the oocytes were vortexed to be free from cumulus cells and subsequently their nucleus and the first polar body were removed. Enucleated oocytes were divided into 3 groups for activation; the oocytes of group I were activated with ionomycin for 5 min and subsequently incubated in 6-dimetylarninopurine (DMAP) for 4 h, Those of group II were treated with DMAP for 4 h at 39 h after onset of in vitro maturation (IVM) and those of group III were kept in room temperature ($25^{\circ}C$) for 3 h at 39 h after onset of IVM. After in vitro fertilization (IVF) the embryos for muclear donor were cultured either by group culture (20 embryos /50 ${mu}ell$ drop) or individually (1 embryo /50 ${mu}ell$ drop) for 4 day and 5 day. At day 4 and 5 after IVF, blastomeres were separated in calcium-magnesium free medium, and then classified into small (day 5: $\leq$ 38 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, day 4: $\leq$ 46 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) and large (day 5 : $\geq$ 38 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, day 4 ; $\geq$ 46 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$). The separated blastomeres were replaced into enucleated and activated recipient cytoplasm. The blastomere-oocyte complexes were fused by electrically. The NT embryos were cultured in TCM-199 containing 10% FCS in 39$^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ incubator for 7 day. The results obtained were summarized as follows; There were no differences in fusion and development to blastocyst between groups as group I (68%, 10%), group II (75%, 14%) and group III (73%, 9%), respectively. However, the cell number in blastocyst of NT embryos in group III were significantly fewer than in the other groups (P＜0.05). No differences in fusion and development to blastocyst were found between individual or group cultured and between small or large blastomeres of day 4 and day 5 donor embryos. From these results, it was concluded that the combination of ionomycin and DMAP, or treatment of DMAP at 39 h after onset of IVM were useful for the efficient of production of NT bovine embryos, and the individual cultured embryos could be simply used as donor nuclei for NT bovine embryo.