• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.207-212
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• 2005

In the present study, we investigated the effects of genotypes on in vitro maturation and fertilization in porcine fresh/frozen-thawed oocytes. The porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were divided into four groups according to whether they were: (1) in vitro matured; (2) cryopreserved and in vitro matured; (3) in vitro fertilized and (4) cryopreserved, and in vitro fertilized. Maturation of porcine COCs was accomplished by incubation in NCSU23 medium. Immature oocytes were cryopreserved by Open Pulled Straws (OPS) method according to Vajta et al., (1998). Oocytes stained by Acetic-Orcein method were observed under the microscope. DNA extracted from the ovaries was analyzed by RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) and SSCP (single strand conformational polymorphisrrt) method. The rates of oocytes maturation and fertilization were significantly high in AA genotype. The results indicated that in vitro maturation and fertilization in porcine fresh/frozen-thawed oocytes may be affected by genotypes in pigs.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.137-147
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• 1994

Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH) for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVFET) often results in the production of more embryos than can be efficaciously transferred at one time. However, embryo cryopreservation provides a mechanism by which additional embryos can be stored for later thawing and transfer. From November, 1990 to October, 1992, we completed 42 transfer cycles of cryopreserved pronucleus(PN) l-cell embryos using the fixed protocol of hormonal replacement therapy in a physiological manner regardless of individual ovarian function. Artificial endometrial stimulation was performed with only exogenous estradiol and progesterone(E-P) in 36 transfer cycles (Group I) and with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist(GnRHa) and exogenous estradiol and progesterone(GEEP) in 6 transfer cycles(Group II ). The results were as follows. 1. The Survival rate of total cryopreserved-thawed embryos was 64.9%(198/305): 64.9% (172/265) in Group I and 65.0% (26/40) in Group II. 2. Total 168 embryos were transferred with an average of 4.7 per ET in Group I and total 26 embryos were transferred with an average of 4.3 per ET in Group II. 3. The pregnancy rate(PR) per cryopreserved-thawed ET and the implantation rate was 33.3 %(14/42) and 6.7%(13/194), respectively. The PRs per cryopreserved-thawed ET were 30.6% (11/36) in Group I and 50.0% (3/6) in Group II without significant difference. 4. The take home baby rate was 11.1%(4/36) in Group I and 33.3% (2/6) in Group II.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.281-292
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• 1997

The objective of this study was to compare retrospectively the survival and pregnancy rates(PR) of cryopresered-thawed embryos obtained from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF). Ninety-six cycles of cryopresered-thawed embryo transfer (ET) were performed in 79 patients from June, 1996 to September, 1997 and grouped as followings: 20 cycles (16 patients) inseminated by ICSI (ICSI Group) and 76 cycles (63 patients) by conventional IVF (IVF Group). Slow-freezing and rapid-thawing protocol was used with 1.5M propanediol (PROH) and 0.1M sucrose as cryoprotectant. All embryos were frozen-thawed at the two pronuclear (2 PN) stage excluding four cycles in which the early cleavage stage embryos were frozen, and allowed to cleave in vitro for one day before ET. The duration from freezing to thawing was comparable in both groups ($mean{\pm}SD$, $112.1{\pm}80.0$ vs. $124.8{\pm}140.1$ days). The age of female ($31.2{\pm}3.4$ vs. $32.6{\pm}3.3$ years) and the endometrial thickness prior to progesterone injection ($9.4{\pm}2.0$ vs. $9.3{\pm}1.8$ mm) were also comparable in both groups. There was no significant difference in the outcomes of cryopreserved-thawed ET between two groups: survival rate ($85.2{\pm}16.1%$ vs. $82.2{\pm}19.7%$), cleavage rate ($96.9{\pm}6.7%$ vs. $94.7{\pm}13.0%$), cumulative embryo score (CES, $54.5{\pm}31.1$ vs. $49.0{\pm}20.0$), preclinical loss rate (5.0% vs. 5.3%), clinical miscarriage rate (0% vs 29.4%), clinical PR per transfer (35.0% vs. 22.4%), implantation rate (9.9% vs. 5.6%), and multifetal PR (42.9% vs. 17.6%). In conclusion, human embryos resulting from ICSI can be cryopreserved-thawed and transferred successfully, and the survival rate and PR are comparable to conventional IVF.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.57-64
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• 2010

목 적: 배양 환경과 동결 기술이 발달함에 따라 동결 포배의 해동-이식의 빈도가 증가하고 있으며, 신선 주기와 마찬가지로 해동-이식 주기에서도 질 좋은 배아를 선별하는 것은 임신 성공 여부를 결정하는 아주 중요한 과제이다. 본 연구는 동결 당시 포배로의 발달 속도가 임신 결과에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위하여, 수정 후 5일 및 6일째 동결한 포배의 해동-이식 후 임신율을 비교 분석하였다. 연구방법: 2006년 1월부터 12월까지 5일째 또는 6일째 동결한 포배를 해동하여 2007년 6월까지 융해 이식한 87명, 93주기를 대상으로 하였다. 동결법은 ethylene glycol과 DMSO를 이용한 유리화 동결법을 이용하였으며, 팽창 포배는 인위적인 수축을 시행 후 동결하였다. 해동 과정은 이식 전날 시행하여 15~18시간 배양액에서 배양 후 재팽창 여부를 확인하였다. 결 과: 5일째 동결한 포배를 해동-이식한 52주기와 6일째 동결한 포배를 해동-이식한 41주기에서 환자의 나이, 이식한 배아의 수, 해동 배아의 생존율 등 임신 결과에 영향을 미칠만한 요인들의 차이는 없었다. 그러나 생화학적 임신율, 임상적 임신율, 진행 임신율, 착상율 등은 5일째 동결한 포배를 해동-이식한 주기에서 높게 나타났다. 결 론: 5일째 동결한 포배를 해동-이식했을 때의 임신율은 6일째 동결한 포배를 해동-이식했을 때의 임신율보다 2배 이상 높았으며, 이는 신선 주기와 마찬가지로 해동-이식 주기에서도 동결 전 배아의 발달 속도의 차이를 임신 성공 예측의 중요한 지표로 사용할 수 있음을 시사한다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.33-40
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• 2001

Objective: This study was to establish the human embryonic stem (ES) cells derived from frozen-thawed blastocyst stage embryo that were destined to be discarded after five years in routine human IVF-ET program. Methods: Frozen-thawed and survived human blastocysts were treated by immunosurgery, and recovered ICM cells were cultured onto STO feeder cell layer and ICM colony was subcultured by mechanical dissociation into clumps. To identify ES cell, alkaline phosphatase staining and expression of Oct4 in replated ICM colonies were examined. Also, to examine the possibility of ES cell differentiation, retinoic acid (RA), basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), nerve growth factor (NGF) were added in culture medium. In addition, to classify the specific cell type, differentiated cells were stained by indirect immunocytochemistry. Results: One ICM colony recovered from frozen-thawed six blastocysts was subcultured, continuously replated during 40 passage culture duration without differentiation. Subcultured colonies were strong positively stained by alkaline phophatase. When the expression of Oct4 in cultured ES colony was examined, Oct4b type is more clearly indicated than Oct4a one although there was not detected in embryoid body or differentiated cells. In differentiated cardiomyocytes from ES colony, cells were beaten regularly (60 times/min). In differentiated neural cells from ES colony, neurofilament (NF) 200 kDa protein, microtubule associated protein (MAP) 2 and ${\beta}$-tubulin of specific marker in neurons, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) of specific marker in astrocytes and galactocelebrocide (GalC) of specific marker in oligodendrocytes were confirmed by indirect immunocytochemistry. Also, muscle cells were detected by indirect immunocytochemistry. In addition, ES colonies can be successfully cryopreserved. Conclusion: This study suggested that establishment of human ES cells can be successfully derived from frozen-thawed blastocysts that were destined to be discarded, and obtained specific cell types (cardiomyocytes, neurons and muscle cells) through the in vitro differentiation procedures of ES cells.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.145-153
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of vitrification solution and developmental stage on the survival rate of vitrified-thawed human blastocyst embryos. Human blastocyst embryos were cryopreserved by vitrification using EFS and GE solution, and their survival rates were examined after thawing and further culture. EFS solution was consisted of 40% ethylene glycol, 18% Ficoll 70 and 0.3M sucrose. GE solution was consisted of 25% glycerol and 25% ethylene glycol. Embryos were exposed to EFS and GE solution by 2 steps and 3 steps, respectively, and plunged into liquid nitrogen after loading into 0.25ml plastic straws. Blastocysts were classified into 4 groups in accordance with their developmental stage: into 1) EEB, 2) MEB and 3) EdB, of blastocysts developed on day 5, and 4) 6d-Bla(the blastocysts which formed on day 6). The blastocysts at each stage were vitrified by GE solution and cryopreserved in LN2. After thawing them, we examined their survival rates, respectively. The resulted of this study were as follows: 1. The survival rate of blastocysts vitrified by GE solution was 64.4%, significantly higher than that (5.7%) vitrified by EFS solution (P<0.001). 2. When the blastocysts were vitrified by GE solution according to each developmental stage, the survival rates of EEB, MEB, EdB and 6d-Bla were 65.9%, 65.9%, 73.2% and 58.1%, respectively. In conclusion, the cryopreservation of human blastocysts by vitrification is likely to have a marked advantage in terms of cost, work and time as compared to the conventional slow freezing in IVF-ET programs.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.329-338
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• 2010

목적: 본 연구에서는 10개 이하의 2PN 접합자를 얻은 환자군에서 전핵 단계 배아의 동결보관이 누적 분만율을 증가시키는 지를 살펴보고자 하였다. 연구방법: 2003년 1월부터 2007년 12월까지 제일병원 아이소망센터를 내원하여 과배란 유도에 의해 체외수정 및 배아이식술을 시행한 주기를 후향적으로 비교 분석하였다. 본 연구에서는 일반적 체외수정법 또는 세포질내 정자주입술을 이용하여 수정을 시도한 후 20~22시간에 8개의 수정란을 확인하거나, 또는 전핵이 1개만 보이는 접합자와 발달지연 배아를 포함하여 수정란이 10개 미만인 138주기의 체외수정 및 배아이식 주기를 대상으로 분석하였다. 분석대상을 두 군으로 나누었으며 그룹 I (n=86)은 배아의 동결 없이 모든 수정란을 배양하여 3일째 이식한 군으로 하였으며, 그룹 II (n=52)는 전핵 시기에 일부 수정란을 동결하고 나머지를 배양하여 3일째 이식한 군으로 분류하였다. 두 군간 신선배아 이식주기와 그 다음 동결-해동 이식주기 후의 임상적 임신율과 누적 임신율을 각각 비교하였다. 결과: 비교 대상군 사이에 여성의 평균 나이, 획득 난자의 수 및 수정란의 수에서는 통계적 차이를 보이지 않았다. 배양된 배아의 수는 그룹 II ($5.2{\pm}0.5$)가 그룹 I $8.4{\pm}0.7$)에 비하여 유의하게 적었다 (p<0.01). 또한 이식한 배아의 수 역시 그룹 II ($3.3{\pm}0.6$)가 그룹 I ($3.6{\pm}0.6$)에 비하여 통계적으로 유의하게 적었다 (p<0.01). 신선주기 배아이식에서 ${\beta}$-hCG 양성을 보인 환자 수와 분만을 한 환자의 수는 그룹 I이 그룹 II에 비하여 약간 높은 양상을 보였다 (51.2 vs. 46.2% and 41.9 vs. 34.6%). 동결-해동 배아이식 후 누적 분만율을 비교하였을 때 그룹 I (48.8%)과 그룹 II (50.0%)에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 관찰할 수 없었다. 결론: 적은 수의 수정란을 얻은 환자군에서 일부 전핵 단계에서의 동결보관이 누적 분만율을 향상 시키는 효과를 확인할 수 없었다. 그러나 일부 수정란의 동결보관은 해당 신선주기에서 임신에 실패하였을 경우 환자에게 추가적인 배아이식 기회를 제공해 줄 수 있는 장점을 가지고 있는 것으로 생각된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.367-372
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• 2000

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate whether vitrification method could be used for the cryopreservation of human blastocysts derived from IVF program. Methods: Surplus embryos were obtained from consented IVF patients. Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation was done with midluteal GnRH agonist, gonadotropin and hCG. After oocyte retrieval and insemination, fresh embryo transfer was done at $4{\sim}8$ cell stage. The surplus embryos after ET were cultured in blastocyst medium up to 6 days after oocyte retrieval. Obtained blastocysts were cryopreserved with our vitrification method. Blastocysts were exposed to 1.5 Methylene glycol (EG) in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for 2.5 minutes, followed by 5.5 M EG plus 1 M sucrose for 20 seconds. Then 1 to 3 blastocysts were mounted on electron microscope (EM) grid and the grid was plunged into liquid nitrogen for storage. For thawing, blastocyst-containing EM grids were sequentially transferred in 1.0 M, 0.5 M, 0.25 M, 0.125 M and 0 M sucrose solution at the intervals of2.5 minutes. And blastocysts were cultured for about 6 hours and only re-expanded blastocysts were transferred to uterus of the patients on 4 to 5 days after ovulation in natural cycle or on 18 to 19 day of artificial cycle. Results: From Oct. 1998 to Jul. 1999, 34 patients were agreed to participate in this study. The mean age and duration of infertility of the patients were 31.6 years and 4.1 years, respectively. Among 34 cycles. replacements could be done in 20 cycles (58.8%). A total 93 blastocysts were thawed and 48 (51.6%) of them survived. Thirty-eight blastocysts, mean 1.9 embryos per patient, were transferred, resulting in 5 clinical pregnancies which consisted of 1 triplet, 2 sets of twins and 2 singleton pregnancies. The pregnancy rate per transfer was 25% and implantation rate was 23.6%. Five patients delivered 7 healthy babies including 2 sets of twins at term. Conclusion: Successful pregnancies and deliveries were established after transfer of vitrified human blastocysts. Vitrification using ethylene glycol as cryoprotectant and electron microscope grid is a rapid and simple method that can be effectively applied for the cryopreservation of human blastocysts.