• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.231-237
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to elucidate the dynamics of microtubules in post-ovulatory aging in vivo and in vitro of mouse oocytes. The fresh ovulated oocytes were obtained from oviducts of superovulated female ICR mice at 16 hours after hCG injection. The post-ovulatory aged oocytes were collected at 24 and 48 hours after hCG injection from in vivo and in vitro, respectively. Immunocytochemistry was performed on ${\beta}$-tubulin and acetylated ${\alpha}$-tubulin. The microtubules were localized in the spindle assembly, which was barrel-shaped or slightly pointed at its poles and located peripherally in the fresh ovulated oocytes. The frequency of misaligned metaphase chromosomes were significantly increased in post-ovulatory aged oocytes after 48 hours of hCG injection. The spindle length and width of post-ovulatory aged oocytes were significantly different from those of fresh ovulated oocytes, respectively. The staining intensity of acetylated ${\alpha}$-tubulin showed stronger in post-ovulatory aged oocytes than that in the fresh ovulated oocytes. In the aged oocytes, the spindles had moved towards the center of the oocytes from their original peripheral position and elongated, compared with the fresh ovulated oocytes. Microtubule organizing centers were formed and observed in the cytoplasm of the aged oocytes. On the contrary, it was not observed in the fresh ovulated oocytes. The alteration of spindle formation and chromosomes alignment substantiates the poor development and the increase of disorders from the post-ovulatory aged oocytes. It might be important to fertilize on time in ovulated oocytes for the developmental competence of embryos with normal karyotypes.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권11호
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• pp.871-879
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• 2017

Levels of maturation-promoting factor (MPF) in oocytes decline after vitrification, and this decline has been suggested as one of the main causes of low developmental competence resulting from cryoinjury. Here, we evaluated MPF activity in vitrified mouse eggs following treatment with caffeine, a known stimulator of MPF activity, and/or the proteasome inhibitor MG132. Collected MII oocytes were vitrified and divided into four groups: untreated, 10 mM caffeine (CA), $10{\mu}M$ MG132 (MG), and 10 mM caffeine + $10{\mu}M$ MG132 (CA+MG). After warming, the MPF activity of oocytes and their blastocyst formation and implantation rates in the CA, MG, and CA+MG groups were much higher than those in the untreated group. However, the cell numbers in blastocysts did not differ among groups. Analysis of the effectiveness of caffeine and MG132 for improving somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technology using cryopreserved eggs showed that supplementation did not improve the blastocyst formation rate of cloned mouse eggs. These results suggest that maintaining MPF activity after cryopreservation may have a positive effect on further embryonic development, but is unable to fully overcome cryoinjury. Thus, intrinsic factors governing the developmental potential that diminish during oocyte cryopreservation should be explored.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.17-23
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• 2017

The oocyte undergoes various events during in vitro maturation (IVM) and subsequence development. One of the events is production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that is a normal process of cell metabolism. But imbalances between ROS production and antioxidant systems induce oxidative stress that negatively affect to mammalian reproductive process. In vitro environments, in vitro matured oocytes have many problems, such as excessive production of ROS and imperfect cytoplasmic maturation. Therefore, in vitro matured oocytes still have lower maturation rates and developmental competence than in vivo matured oocytes. In order to improve the IVM and in vitro culture (IVC) system, antioxidants, vitamins were added to the IVM, IVC medium. Antioxidant supplementation was effective in controlling the production of ROS and it continues to be explored as a potential strategy to overcome mammalian reproductive disorders. Based on these studies, we expect that the use of antioxidants in porcine oocytes could improved maturation and development rates.

• 한국수정란이식학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국수정란이식학회 2004년도 제4회 발생공학 국제심포지움 및 학술대회
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• pp.26-31
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• 2004

This work was undertaken in order to study the developmental competence of nuclear transfer cat embryo with fetal fibroblast and adult skin fibroblast as donor nuclei. Oocytes wererecovered by mincing the ovaries in Hepes-buffered TCM199 and selected the cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) with compact cumulus cell mass and dark. Homogenous ooplasm were cultured for maturation in TCM199 + 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) for 12 hours and used as a source of recipient cytoplast for exogenous somatic nuclei. In Experiment 1, we evaluated the effect donor cell types on the reconstruction and development of cloned embryos. Fusion, first cleavage and blastocyst developmental rate was not different between fetal fibroblast and adult skin cell (71.2 vs. 66.8; 71.0 vs. 57.6; 4.0 vs. 6.1 %, P<0.05). In Experiment 2, cloned embryos were surgically transferred into the oviducts of recipient queens. One of seven recipient queens was delivered naturally 2healthy cloned cats and 1 stillborn from fetal fibroblast cell of male origin after 65 days embryo transfer. One of three recipient queens was delivered naturally 1 healthy cloned cat from adult skin cell of female after 65 days embryo transfer. The cloned cats showed genotypes identical to the donor cell lines, indicating that adult somatic cells can be used for feline cloning.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.175-183
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• 2013

Cathepsin B is abundantly expressed peptidase of the papain family in the lysosomes, and closely related to the cell degradation system such as apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy. Abnormal degradation of organelles often occurs due to release of cathepsin B into the cytoplasm. Many studies have been reported that relationship between cathepsin B and intracellular mechanisms in various cell types, but porcine embryos has not yet been reported. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of cathepsin B inhibitor (E-64) on preimplantation developmental competence and quality of porcine embryos focusing on apoptosis and oxidative stress. The expression of cathepsin B mRNA in porcine embryos was gradually decreased in inverse proportion to E-64 concentration by using real-time RT-PCR. When putative zygotes were cultured with E-64 for 24 h, the rates of early cleavage and blastocyst development were decreased by increasing E-64 concentration. However, the rate of blastocyst development in $5{\mu}M$ treated group was similar to the control. On the other hand, both the index of apoptotic and reactive oxygen species (ROS) of blastocysts were significantly decreased in the $5{\mu}M$ E-64 treated group compared with control. We also examined the mRNA expression levels of apoptosis related genes in the blastocysts derived from $5{\mu}M$ E-64 treated and non-treated groups. Expression of the pro-apoptotic Bax gene was shown to be decreased in the E-64 treated blastocyst group, whereas expression of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL gene was increased. Taken together, these results suggest that proper inhibition of cathepsin B at early development stage embryos improves the quality of blastocysts, which may be related to not only the apoptosis reduction but also the oxidative stress reduction in porcine embryos.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.297-307
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) during in vitro maturation (IVM) on cumulus expansion, nuclear maturation, fertilization capacity and subsequent development in porcine oocytes. The oocytes were incubated with 0, 25, 50, and $100{\mu}M$ ALA. Cumulus expansion was measured at 22 h, and gene expresison and nuclear maturation were analyzed at 44 h after maturation. Then, mature oocytes with ALA were inseminated, and fertilization parameters and embryo development were evaluated. In results, both of cumulus expansion and nuclear maturation were increased in $50{\mu}M$ ALA groups compared to control groups (p<0.05). However, expression of gap junction protein alpha 1 (GJA1, cumulus expansion-related gene), delta-6 desaturase (FADS1, fatty acid metabolism-related gene), and delta-5 desaturase (FADS2) mRNA in cumulus cells were reduced by $50{\mu}M$ ALA treatment (p<0.05). Cleavage rate was enhanced in 25 and $50{\mu}M$ ALA groups (p<0.05), especially, treatment of $50{\mu}M$ ALA promoted early embryo develop to 4 and 8 cell stages (p<0.05). However, blastocyst formation and number of cells in blastocyst were not differ in 25 and $50{\mu}M$ ALA groups. Our findings show that ALA treatment during maturation could improve nuclear maturation, fertilization, and early embryo development through enhancing of cumulus expansion, however, fatty acid metabolism- and cumulus expansion-related genes were down-regulated. Therefore, addition of ALA during IVM of oocytes could improve fertilization and developmental competence, and further studies regarding with the mechanism of ALA metabolism are needed.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.121-129
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• 2022

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNPA2/B1) is an N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) RNA modification regulator and a key determinant of prem-RNA processing, mRNA metabolism and transportation in cells. Currently, m⁶A reader proteins such as hnRNPA2/B1 and YTHDF2 has functional roles in mice embryo. However, the role of hnRNPA2/B1 in porcine embryogenic development are unclear. Here, we investigated the developmental competence and mRNA expression levels in porcine parthenogenetic embryos after hnRNPA2/B1 knock-down. HhnRNPA2/B1 was localized in the nucleus during subsequent embryonic development since zygote stage. After hnRNPA2/B1 knock-down using double stranded RNA injection, blastocyst formation rate decreased than that in the control group. Moreover, hnRNPA2/B1 knock-down embryos show developmental delay after compaction. In blastocyste stage, total cell number was decreased. Interestingly, gene expression patterns revealed that transcription of Pou5f1, Sox2, TRFP2C, Cdx2 and PARD6B decreased without changing the junction protein, ZO1, OCLN, and CDH1. Thus, hnRNPA2/B1 is necessary for porcine early embryo development by regulating gene expression through epigenetic RNA modification.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.231-238
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• 2022

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and F-actin cytoskeleton dynamics play important roles in the survival rate of blastocysts after the vitrified-warming process. However, the protective effects of Mito-TEMPO against cryo-injury and viability through F-actin aggregation and mitochondrial-specific ROS production in vitrificated-warmed bovine embryos have not been investigated. The aims of the present study were to: (1) determine the effects of Mito-TEMPO on embryonic developmental competence and quality by F-actin stabilization during in vitro culturing (IVC), and (2) confirm the effects of Mito-TEMPO through F-actin structure on the cryotolerance of vitrification-warming in Mito-TEMPO exposed in vitro production (IVP) of bovine blastocysts. Bovine zygotes were cultured with 0.1 μM Mito-TEMPO treatment for 2 days of IVC. Mito-TEMPO (0.1 μM) exposed bovine embryos slightly improved in blastocyst developmental rates compared to the non-treated group. Moreover, the viability of vitrified-warmed blastocysts from Mito-TEMPO treated embryos significantly increased (p < 0.05, non-treated group: 66.7 ± 3.2% vs Mito-TEMPO treated group: 79.2 ± 5.9%; re-expanded at 24 hours). Mito-TEMPO exposed embryos strengthened the F-actin structure and arrangement in the blastocyst after vitrification-warming. Furthermore, the addition of Mito-TEMPO into the IVC medium enhanced embryonic survival and quality through F-actin stabilization after the vitrification-warming procedure. Overall, our results suggest that supplementing the culture with 0.1 μM Mito-TEMPO improves the embryonic quality and cryo-survival of IVP bovine blastocysts.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.307-319
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• 2010

목적: 유리화 동결액의 조성조절과 냉각속도 증진을 통한 동결보호제의 농도를 낮추는 전략을 통해 세포에 미치는 독성을 감소시켜 유리화 동결 및 융해 후 생쥐 배아의 생존율 및 발생률을 증진시키고, 궁극적으로 배아의 유리화 동결법을 개선하고자 하였다. 연구방법: 생쥐 배아와 포배기를 그리드를 이용한 유리화 동결법을 이용하여 동결/융해하였다. 동결액 내 ethylene glycol와 dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO)의 농도와 당의 농도를 조절하여 생쥐 배아의 융해 후 생존율과 발생률을 관찰하였고, 냉각속도의 증가와 동결억제제의 농도와의 상관관계를 포배기의 융해 후 생존율과 발생률에 따라 비교하였다. 또한 융해 후 배아를 대리모에 이식하여 산자를 생산함으로 냉각속도의 효율성을 알아보았다. 결과: EG를 단독으로 사용한 동결보존액 보다는 DMSO와 혼합된 동결보존액의 사용이 보다 유리하다는 결과를 얻을 수 있었다. 슬러시 질소에 의한 냉각속도의 증가가 동결보존의 대상의 상해를 줄여 유리화 동결의 효율성을 증진시키는 것으로 생각된다. 결론: 혼합된 동결보호제를 사용하였을 때 생쥐 배아의 유리화 동결 후 생존과 발생률이 증진되었다. 슬러시 질소를 이용한 유리화 동결의 도입은 냉각속도의 증가를 통해 기존 유리화 동결방법의 효율을 증진시켜 생존율과 융해후 발생률, 임신율 증진에 기여하였다. 또한 냉각속도의 증진은 유리화 동결의 필수요건인 고농도의 동결억제제에 대한 노출을 감소시킬 수 있었다. 이러한 노력은 생식력의 보전을 위한 유리화 동결법의 효율 향상에 기여할 것이다.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.552-564
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• 2017

본 연구는 전통적 학습역량 및 경력관리 시스템의 한계를 극복하면서, 대학의 교과 및 비교과 프로그램의 운영 관리를 위한 통합형 e포트폴리오의 기능과 시스템의 구성요소를 고안하고, 인쇄물 기반의 프로토타입을 개발하는 것을 목적으로 S대학의 맥락에서 실시되었다. 연구진은 2차에 걸친 전문가 타당화를 통해 통합형 e포트폴리오의 주요 메뉴와 기능을 도출하였으며 각 메뉴에 포함해야 할 하위기능을 찾고 타당성을 확보하였다. 통합형 e포트폴리오 시스템의 구성요소는 크게 6가지(기본정보, 학습 역량 관리, 진로 경력 관리, 포트폴리오 관리, 커뮤니티, 기타)로 도출되었다. 이 중 학습 역량 관리, 진로 경력 관리, 포트폴리오 관리는 전통적 e포트폴리오와 차별화된 기능으로 내용구성의 타당성이 우수하다고 평가받았다. 본 연구에서는 통합형 e포트폴리오 시스템을 바탕으로 인쇄물 기반의 e포트폴리오 프로토타입을 개발하여 실제 시스템 구현의 구체적 가이드를 제공함과 동시에 통합형 e포트폴리오의 개발 방향 설정에 대한 기관의 인식제고에 공헌한 것으로 분석되었다.