• Animal Bioscience
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• 제37권6호
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• pp.1007-1020
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• 2024

Objective: We increased the nuclear maturation rate of antral follicle derived oocytes by using a pre-in vitro maturation (IVM) culture system and improved the developmental potential of these porcine pathenotes by supplementing with melatonin. Furthermore, we investigated the expression patterns of genes involved in cumulus expansion (HAS2, PTGS2, TNFAIP6, and PTX3) derived from small and medium antral follicles before and after oocyte maturation. Methods: Only the cumulus oocyte-complexes (COCs) derived from small antral follicles were induced with [Pre-SF(+)hCG] or without [Pre-SF(-)hCG] the addition of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) during the last 7 h of the pre-IVM period before undergoing the regular culture system. The mature oocytes were investigated on embryonic development after parthenogenetic activation (PA). Melatonin (10^-7 M) was supplemented during in vitro culture (IVC) to improve the developmental potential of these porcine pathenotes. Results: A pre-IVM culture system with hCG added during the last 7 h of the pre-IVM period [Pre-SF(+)hCG] effectively supported small antral follicle-derived oocytes and increased their nuclear maturation rate. The oocytes derived from medium antral follicles exhibited the highest nuclear maturation rate in a regular culture system. Compared with oocytes cultured in a regular culture system, those cultured in the pre-IVM culture system exhibited considerable overexpression of HAS2, PTGS2, and TNFAIP6. Porcine embryos treated with melatonin during IVC exhibited markedly improved quality and developmental competence after PA. Notably, melatonin supplementation during the IVM period can reduce and increase the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH), respectively. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the Pre-SF(+)hCG culture system increases the nuclear maturation rate of small antral follicle-derived oocytes and the expression of genes involved in cumulus expansion. Melatonin supplementation during IVC may improve the quality and increase the blastocyst formation rate of porcine embryos. In addition, it can reduce and increase the levels of ROS and GSH, respectively, in mature oocytes, thus affecting subsequent embryos.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.197-201
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• 2019

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish whether differences in ovarian size exist between the right and the left ovary of the same individual in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Methods: In total, 206 Korean women with polycystic ovary syndrome were included in this study. In all participants, a transvaginal or transrectal ultrasound examination was conducted in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Results: A significant linear correlation was found between the two ovaries with regard to antral follicle count and ovarian volume. The mean antral follicle count in the right ovary (26.75 ± 11.72) was significantly higher than that in the left ovary (23.98 ± 10.85), and the mean volume of the right ovary (11.06 ± 5.17 cm³) was significantly different from that of the left ovary (9.12 ± 4.89 cm³). Conclusion: Ovarian size is different between the right and the left ovary in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권12호
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• pp.1711-1715
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• 2006

To predict the number of preantral (primordial, primary and secondary) follicles retrieved from bovine ovaries, we examined the relationship between morphological parameters of ovaries and number of preantral follicles retrieved mechanically. The preantral follicles were retrieved mechanically by slicing ovarian tissue and the influences of size of the ovaries, number of antral follicles, and presence of cystic follicle and corpus luteum on the retrieval were evaluated. Total 77 ovaries were used and significant (p<0.05) relationship was detected between the number of antral follicles and the presence of cystic follicles, and the retrieval number. More preantral follicles were retrieved from the ovaries having more than 20 antral follicles than those having less than 20 antral follicles (17,760${\pm}$5,637 vs. 3,689${\pm}$537) in the ovarian cortex. The retrieval number was significantly reduced in cystic ovaries compared with non-cystic ovaries (5,167${\pm}$825 vs. 20,631${\pm}$6,507). However, neither ovary size (<3.5, 3.5 to 4.0, 4.0 to 4.5 and >4.5 cm) nor the presence of corpus luteum affected the follicle retrieval. In conclusion, the number of preantral follicles retrieved from the ovaries can simply be predicted by the number of antral follicles and the presence of cystic follicles in the ovarian cortex.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.101-111
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• 2001

본 실험은 preantral 난포를 antral 단계까지 성숙시 비교, 또 난포 성숙, 수정 및 배발달을 유도할 수 있는 체외배양체계를 개발하고자 시행되었다. 협막세포로 둘러쌓인 소 preantral난포 (150 $\pm$ 1.2 $\mu\textrm{m}$)를 1 mg/$m\ell$ collagenase와 0.2 mg/$m\ell$ DNase I가 포함된 Leibovitz L-15 배양액에서 효소적 방법과 물리적 방법으로 난소조직으로부터 분리하였고, 체외난포 성숙 배양액인 $\alpha$MEM을 기본 배양액으로 여러 농도의 FSH와 LH를 첨가하여 25일간 배양하였다. FSH (10~150 ng/$m\ell$) 첨가군의 성숙율과 생존율은 대조군의 그것보다 유의하게 높았으나(P ＜ 0.001), LH (1~125 ng/$m\ell$) 첨가군들과 대조군 사이에서는 유의차가 없었다. FSH (90 ng/$m\ell$)와 LH (25 ng/$m\ell$)를 공동첨가군의 생존율 (40%)과 성숙율 (244$\pm$0.5 $\mu\textrm{m}$)은 대조군의 그것 (25%, 160 $\pm$0.5 $\mu\textrm{m}$)보다 양호하였다. 결과적으로, preantral 난포를 25일간 체외배양한 후, 50%의 건강한 antral 난포를 획득할 수 있었고, 이들 난포중 60%가 제 1극체가 있는 완전한 감수분열을 이루었고 (18.1%), 10.0%가 배발달을 하여 배반포 단계에 이르렀다. 이런 결과는 협막세포가 있는 소 preantral 난포는 상기의 체외배양체계에 의해 antral 단계까지 성장할 수 있고, 체외에서 성숙된 소 preantral 난포의 난자는 분열능을 획득하고 수정 및 배발달이 가능하다는 것을 보여주었다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.255-260
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• 2001

In mammals, most of the follicles can not be ovulated, and instead, are degenerated throughout the entire reproductive period. However, the precise mechanism of follicle atresia is unknown. Three weeks old female mice (ICR strain) were ${\gamma}$-irradiated with a dose of LD$^{50}$ . Before irradiation (day 0) and at day 1, 2, and 3 after irradiation, the normal and atretic preantral and antral follicles of the left ovaries were morphologically observed. Atretic follicles at 2 days after irradiation had numerous cell debris, apoptotic cells and bodies, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the antral cavity. In severely atretic follicles, numerous polymorphonuclear leukocytes infiltrated into the follicle. The frequencies of atretic antral (58.0 $\pm$8.6) and preantral follicles (27.3$\pm$11.2) induced by ${\gamma}$-radiation increased to 94.0$\pm$3.4 and 86.9$\pm$7.6, respectively at 2 days after irradiation (p<0.05). The number of follicles with one or more neutrophils in the largest cross sections at 2 and 3 days after irradiation significantly increased (p<0.05). It can be concluded that ${\gamma}$-radiation triggers the recruitment of neutrophils into the follicles during degeneration. The ovarian follicles can make a role of informative biological end-point useful for disaster-prevention.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.347-351
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• 2021

Objective: We investigated the impact of vitamin D₃ (VD3) supplementation during mouse preantral follicle culture in vitro and the mRNA expression of 25-hydroxylase (CYP2R1), 1-alpha-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), and vitamin D receptor (VDR) in mouse ovarian follicles at different stages. Methods: Preantral follicles were retrieved from 39 BDF1 mice (7-8 weeks old) and then cultured in vitro for 12 days under VD3 supplementation (0, 25, and 50 pg/mL). Follicular development and the final oocyte acquisition were assessed. Preantral follicles were retrieved from 15 other BDF1 mice (7-8 weeks old) and cultured without VD3 supplementation. Three stages of mouse ovarian follicles were obtained (preantral, antral, and ruptured follicles). Total RNA was extracted from the pooled cells (from 20 follicles at each stage), and then reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was performed to identify mRNA for CYP2R1, CYP27B1, and VDR. Results: The survival of preantral follicles, rates of antrum formation and ruptured follicles (per initiated follicle) and the number of total or mature oocytes were all comparable among the three groups. Both CYP2R1 and CYP27B1 were expressed in antral and ruptured follicles, but not in preantral follicles. VDR was expressed in all three follicular stages. Conclusion: VD3 supplementation in vitro (25 or 50 pg/mL) did not enhance mouse follicular development or final oocyte acquisition. Follicular stage-specific expression of CYP2R1, CYP27B1, and VDR was observed.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.181-186
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• 2000

생쥐 난소에서 glucosamine-6-phosphate deaminase (GNPDA)의 발현을 조사하였다. Western blot상에서 Mr. 31 kDa의 항원을 검출하였으며 출생 후2주에 급격한 발현의 증가가 확인되었다. 난소절편의 면역염색 결과 협막세포와 간충조직에서는 균질한 발현을 보인 반면 난포내 발현양상은 난포의 발달에 따라 다르게 나타났다. 일부 1차 난포의 난자에서 GNPDA의 발현이 관찰되었으나 강소형성 난포의 난자에서는 관찰되지 않았다. 황체화 과립세포에서의 발현은 황체발달에 따라 증가하였으며 황체퇴화 부위에서 강한 신호가 검출되었다. 난포발달에 따른 GNPDA발현의 차이는 GNPDA가 생쥐 난소 조직 재구성에 관여하고 있음을 암시한다.

• 한국수정란이식학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국수정란이식학회 2004년도 제4회 발생공학 국제심포지움 및 학술대회
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• pp.67-67
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• 2004

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.91-99
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• 2005

Objective: To define an appropriate vitrification condition of preantral follicle that yields high survival and to evaluate growth and ovulation rate of mouse follicles during in vitro culture after vitrification. Methods: Preantral follicles were isolated mechanically from mouse ovaries that were surgically recovered from mice aged 14 days. Retrieved preantral follicles were placed in EG (Ethylene Glycol) for 2, 5, 10 minutes and transferred to EFS-40 (40% EG, 18% Ficoll-70, 0.5 M sucrose) for 0.5, 1, 2 minutes. And then, preantral follicles were placed onto an EM grid and submerged immediately in liquid nitrogen. Thawing was carried out at room temperature. After defining the most appropriate vitrification condition that yields high survival, in vitro growth and ovulation rate of follicles were evaluated. Results: Appropriate vitrification condition that yield high survival rate ($83.2{\pm}2.1%$) of preantral follicle was EG for 5 minutes and EFS-40 for 0.5 minutes. In vitro survival rate of the vitrified preantral follicles were $85.5{\pm}0.5%$, $67.9{\pm}0.8%$ and $40.2{\pm}0.5%$ on day 2, 6 and 10. And in vitro growth of the vitrified preantral follicles were $107.1{\pm}16.1{\mu}m$, $117.1{\pm}18.4{\mu}m$, $178.4{\pm}45.6{\mu}m$ and $325.4{\pm}54.4{\mu}m$ on day 0, 2, 6 and 10. Although in vitro survival rate and growth of vitrified preantral follicles were lower than that of non-vitrified preantral follicles, the patterns of survival and growth were similar in vitrified and non-vitrified preantral follicles. The ovulation rate of antral follicles that was grown from vitrified preantral follicles was $32.6{\pm}1.2%$. Conclusion: Vitrified preantral follicles could be grown to antral sizes, and mature oocytes that can be used for IVF-ET programs were produced successfully. These data suggest that cryopreservation of preantral follicle by vitrification can be used for the preservation of the fertility.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.17-22
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• 2013

Although assisted reproductive technology is very useful to develop novel and therapeutic biomaterials for reproduction, research on molecular mechanism of folliculogenesis in pig is not clear. Therefore, the alteration of gene expression during follicular development in pigs was examined in this study. The expression of folliculogenesis-related genes was quantified in preantral ($250{\sim}300{\mu}m$) and antral (> $300{\mu}m$ in diameter) follicles, and overall gene expression was evaluated by a genome-wide microarray. The microarray results showed that 219 genes were differentially expressed, and of those, 10 and 22 known genes showed higher and less expression at the preantral stage than at antral stages, respectively. Among them, the expression of NR0B1, PPARG, GATA4, and ANXA2 genes related to folliculogenesis was validated by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. The expression of PPARG and GATA4 genes were increased at antral stages, but a significantly stage-specific increase (p<0.05) was only detected in annexin A2 (ANXA2) in antral-stage follicles. The expression of NR0B1 genes was increased at preantral stage and these patterns of gene expression were comparable to the results obtained by microarray analysis. We propose that the systematical regulation of genes supporting specific follicle stage should be employed for improved in-vitro folliculognesis.