• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.61-69
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• 2007

This study was designed to evaluate effects of BSA, PVA, gonadotropins and follicle shell during IVM of porcine oocytes and subsequent development to the blastocyst stage after IVF. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured in TCM-199 media containing 4 mg/ml BSA and 1 mg/ml PVA during IVM for 44 hr. To compare the effect of gonadotropins on oocyte maturation, COCs were cultured with FSH+LH, FSH, LH and FSH-LH-free media during IVM. respectively. Also, different number of follicle shells (0, 2, 4 and 6) was used to examine whether the presence of follicle shell in culture medium affects oocyte maturation. The percentages of fertilization and blastocyst formation, respectively, were higher in the medium containing the PVA (49.0 and 17.9%) than those containing the BSA (40.0 and 12.2%). Significantly higher rates of Mil oocytes were in the presence of FSH+LH and FSH (88.6 and 85.1 %) compared to other treatments (64.0 and 53.4% at LH and FSH-LH-free media). Co-culture with inverted follicle shells in 2 ml maturation medium enhanced the developmental competence of porcine oocytes. In conclusion, PVA could be used as a macromolecules instead of BSA, and FSH and follicle shell played important roles in maturation of porcine oocytes.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.253-260
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• 2007

To examine the differential protein expression pattern in the 11.5 day post-coitus (dpc) and 18.5 dpc placenta of mouse, we have used the global proteomics approach by 2-D gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and MALDI-TOF-MS. The differential protein patterns of 3 placentae at the 11.5 dpc and 18.5 dpc from nature mating mice were analyzed. Proteins within isoelectric point range of $3.0{\sim}10.0$, separately were analyzed in 2DE with 3 replications of each sample. A total of approximately 1,600 spots were detected in placental 2-D gel stained with Coomassie-blue. In the comparison of 11.5 dpc and 18.5 dpc placentae, a total of 108 spots were identified as differentially expressed proteins, of which 51 spots were up-regulated proteins such as alpha-fetoprotein, mKIAA0635 protein and transferrin, annexin A5, while 48 spots were down-regulated proteins such as Pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor l(PBEF), aldolase 1, A isoform, while 4 spots were 11.5 dpc specific proteins such as chaperonin and Acidic ribosomal phosphoprotein P0, while 3 spots were 18.5 dpc specific proteins such as aldo-keto reductase family 1, member B7 and CAST1/ERC2 splicing variant-1. Most identified proteins in this analysis appeared to be related with catabolism, cell growth, metabolism and regulation. Our results revealed composite profiles of key proteins involved in mouse placenta during pregnancy.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.962-968
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• 2009

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of oviductal fluid, porcine zygote medium (PZM)-3, PZM-4 and PZM-5, and modified PZM-5 culture media, and determine the effects of zona pellucida (ZP) removal on the development of nuclear transfer (NT) embryos. There were no significant differences in the rates of fusion and cleavage among the five different oviductal fluid concentrations. However, the rates of blastocyst formation and the cell numbers per blastocyst were high in the embryos at the 14 and 28 $\mu{g}$/ml concentrations of oviductal fluid compared to the 0, 56 and 100 $\mu{g}$/ml concentrations. The rates of cleavage and blastocyst formation, and the cell numbers per blastocyst were higher in the PZM-3, PZM-5 and modified PZM-5 media than in the PZM-4 medium. However, there were no significant differences in the fusion rates of oocytes among the four culture media. The cell numbers per blastocyst in the embryos without ZP were significantly greater than those with ZP. However, there were no significant differences in the rates of fusion, cleavage and blastocyst formation between the embryos with and without ZP. In conclusion, we improved blastocyst development and the quality of NT embryos by replacing PVA with 3 mg/ml of BSA in PZM-5 medium and supplementing the PZM-5 medium with 14 $\mu{g}$/ml oviductal fluid. The NT embryos produced by the zona-free NT method had a high rate of blastocyst formation in the modified PZM-5 medium.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2014

Embryonic genome activation (EGA) is a highly complex phenomenon that is controlled at various levels. New studies have ascertained some molecular mechanisms that control EGA in several species; it is apparent that these same mechanisms regulate EGA in all species. Protein phosphorylation, DNA methylation and histone modification regulate transcriptional activities, and mechanisms such as ubiquitination, SUMOylation and microRNAs post-transcriptionally regulate development. Each of these regulations is highly dynamic in the early embryo. A better understanding of these regulatory strategies can provide the possibility to improve the reproductive properties in mammals such as pigs, to develop methods of generating high-quality embryos in vitro, and to find markers for selecting developmentally competent embryos.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.29-36
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• 2015

Pigs are considered an ideal source of human disease model due to their physiological similarities to humans. However, the low efficiency of in vitro embryo production (IVP) is still a major barrier in the production of pig offspring with gene manipulation. Despite ongoing advances in the associated technologies, the developmental capacity of IVP pig embryos is still lower than that of their in vivo counterparts, as well as IVP embryos of other species (e.g., cattle and mice). The efficiency of IVP can be influenced by many factors that affect various critical steps in the process. The previous relevant reviews have focused on the in vitro maturation system, in vitro culture conditions, in vitro fertilization medium, issues with polyspermy, the utilized technologies, etc. In this review, we concentrate on factors that have not been fully detailed in prior reviews, such as the oocyte morphology, oocyte recovery methods, denuding procedures, first polar body morphology and embryo quality.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2005

Cloned calves derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) have been frequently lost by sudden death at 1 to 3 month following healthy birth. To address whether placental anomalies are responsible for the sudden death of cloned calves, we compared protein patterns of 2 placentae derived from SCNT of Korean Native calves died suddenly at two months after birth and those of 2 normal placentae obtained from AI fetuses. Placental proteins were separated using 2-Dimensional gel electrophoresis. Approximately 800 spots were detected in placental 2-D gel stained with coomassie-blue. Then, image analysis of Malanie III (Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics) was performed to detect variations in protein spots between normal and SCNT placentae. In the comparison of normal and SCNT samples, 8 spots were identified to be up-regulated proteins and 24 spots to be down-regulated proteins in SCNT placentae, among which proteins were high mobility group protein HMG1, apolipoprotein A-1 precursor, bactenecin 1, tropomyosin beta chain, $H^+-transporting$ ATPase, carbonic anhydrase II, peroxiredoxin 2, tyrosine-rich acidic matrix protein, serum albumin precursor and cathepsin D. These results suggested that the sudden death of cloned calves might be related to abnormal protein expression in placenta.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.255-261
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• 2008

The early diagnosis of bovine pregnancy is an essential component of successful reproductive planning on farms, because lack of bovine pregnancy over the long term results in reproductive failure and low milk yield-the latter of which is a special concern on dairy farms. This study was designed to identify early pregnancy-specific whey proteins in bovine, by comparing milk samples collected from cattle during pregnancy (Days 30 and 50) and from non-pregnant cattle. In this study, differentially expressed proteins in five pregnant and five non-pregnant Holstein dairy cattle were investigated and compared, using proteomics analysis. The first dimension was applied to a pH $3.0{\sim}10.0$ strip, by loading a 2-mg milk protein sample. After the second-dimension separation was performed, the gels were stained with colloidal Coomassie brilliant blue. The stained gels were scanned and the images were analyzed, to detect variations in protein spots between non-pregnant and pregnant cattle milk protein spots, using ImageMaster, this was followed by analysis with MALDI TOF-MS. Analysis of the 2-DE gel image resulted in a total of approximately $500{\sim}600$ protein spots, of which 12 spots were differentially expressed, six spots were up-regulated, and four spots were down-regulated; two spots were identified as pregnancy-specific proteins. These proteins were identified as lactoferrin, NA-DH dehydrogenase subunit 2, albumin, serum albumin precursor and transferrin. Our results via 2-D PAGE analysis revealed composite profiles of several milk proteins related to early bovine pregnancy, implying the possible use of these milk proteins in the early detection of bovine pregnancy.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.333-338
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• 2003

Transgenic mice containing GH Receptor (GHR) gene fused to metallothionein promoter were analyzed to evaluate effect of GHR expression on growth in vivo. Three founder mice lines contained copies of GHR transgene and transmitted these genes into F$_1$ and F$_2$ progenies. The mRNA expression of transgene was identified using RT-PCR with GHR genes in tissues. To analyze the effects of transgenes on growth performance, body weights of pups were measured at 4, 10 and 14 weeks after birth. The body weight of transgenic mice was higher compared with that of non-transgenic control mice regardless of sex (P<0.05). Body weights between transgenic and non-transgenic mice were increased with aging. Overall, GHR transgenic mice tended to grow about 10 to 15 ％ faster than non-transgenic mice without any pathological defects.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.291-295
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• 2007

The present study examines the effect of dominant-negative Akt on the insulin-mediated microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) induction in rat hepatocytes. We also assessed the role of insulin in the expression of soluble epoxide hydrrolase (sEH). Insulin increased mEH levels and the enzyme activities, whereas sEH protein expression was unaffected by insulin. The specific PI3K inhibitors or p70 S6 kinase inhibitor ameliorated the insulin-mediated increase in mEH protein levels. Infection with adenovirus expressing dominant-negative and kinase-dead mutant of Akt1 effectively inhibited the insulin-mediated increase in mEH expression and mEH activity. These results suggest that mEH and sEH are differentially regulated by insulin and PI3K/Akt/p70S6K are active in the insulin-mediated regulation of mEH expression.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2011

HER-2 (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2) is a protein giving higher aggressiveness in human breast cancers. Trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets HER-2 and is known to extend survival across all stages of HER2-positive breast cancer. In this study, we attempted to development of a quantitative ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay) for evaluating anti HER-2 antibodies using human HER-2 recombinant proteins to support antibody producing processes and pharmacokinetic studies. We established direct or indirect ELISA method for the trastuzumab-like protein combined human recombinant HER-2. The ELISA method will prove to be great value in quantitating anti-HER-2 antibodies levels for developing anticancer antibodies.