• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 1993

The post-thaw survival of mouse embryos of the various developmental stages was determined after cryopreservation by vitrification in a solution containing ethylene glycol, Ficoll and sucrose (EFS). All the embryos were equilibrated for 2 minutes just prior to freezing. The number of blastomeres during in vitro development was counted by nuclei higher rates of post-thaw survival were obtained from the embryos of 2-cell(92.2%), 8-cell(77.2%) or morula stage(90.0%) than those of blastocyst stage(62.7%). The number of blastomeres per embryo following in vitro culture for 24 hours was significantly(P<0.05) smaller as 66.0f22.3 in vitrified and thawed morulae than fresh morulae(91.7$\pm$12.2).

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.134-134
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• 2003

Bovine embryos produced by in vitro maturation, feretilization and development was examined for presevation and transfer. The fertilization medium used BO medium with 5 mM/$m\ell$ caffeine and 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ heparin and adjusted to a pH of 7.2 to 7.4. The final concentration of spermatozoa was adjusted to 1$\times$$10^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$ motile sperm during fertilization in vitro. At 8~10 hrs after insemination, the oocytes were transferred into CR1aa medium and cultured for 7 days. Embryos were preserved by vitrification method for transfer. When the embryos of early, blastocyst and expanded blastocyst stages were frozen-thawed, the proportions of embryos with normal morphology 83.6, 88.1 and 85.2%. (중략)

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.23 no.2 s.58
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• pp.114-119
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• 2005

Larval survivorships, growth rates, developmental rates, and emergence rates of Cloeon dipterum were studied under four constant temperatures $(10^{\circ}C,\; 15^{\circ}C,\;20^{\circ}C,\;and\;25^{\circ}C)$ in the laboratory. Larval mortalities were relatively higher during the initial one-week period, but those tend to be stabilized as the experiments proceed. Judging from the growth and develop-mental rates, estimated optimal temperature for larval growth and development lies between $20^{\circ}C\;and\;25^{\circ}C$. Estimated larval period for emergence is less than 100 days.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.79-91
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of cryopreservation methods for ex situ conservation of spermatozoa from far eastern catfish, Silurus asotus. The spermatozoa activity index (SAI) and hatching rates were higher in spermatozoa stored in Alserver's solution than those of spermatozoa stored in glucose solution. The SAI and hatching rates in all experimental groups gradually decreased with increasing duration of storage. Additionally, the SAI and hatching rates gradually decreased with increasing thawing temperatures at all storage durations (P<0.05). Based on the SAI and hatching rates, our results suggest that the optimal cryopreservation conditions of catfish spermatozoa involve storage in Alserver's solution with 15% ethylene glycol, and thawing at $25^{\circ}C$. Cryopreservation of spermatozoa is a useful and reliable technique for conserving gene resources and for artificial propagation of far eastern catfish.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.193-197
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• 2013

In order to investigate the effects of antioxidants on the culture of mouse preantral follicles in vitro, we examined the effects of taurine, glutathione and catalase on their growth and maturation. Addition of taurine was not effective on the survival of preantral follicles. However, metaphase II rates of oocytes within preantral follicles were significantly higher in 1 mM treated group than in control and 10 mM treated group (p<0.05). Glutathione did not improved the rates of survival and metaphase II oocytes. However, metaphase II rates of oocytes progressively decreased with increasing glutathione concentration. Catalase also showed that the rates of survival and metaphase II oocytes progressively decreased with increasing concentration. Especially, all of preantral follicles cultured in medium containing 100 IU/ml catalase were degenerated. These results suggest that low concentraion of taurine, as an antioxidant, have positive effect on the culture of mouse preantral follicles in vitro.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.980-987
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of cell status of BOEC on development of bovine IVM/IVF embryos and gene expression in BOEC before or after culturing of embryos. The developmental rates beyond morula stage in the BOEC co-culture group was significantly higher than in the control group (p<0.05). In particular, blastocyst production in the BOEC co-culture group (28.3%) was dramatically increased compared with the control group (7.2%). In the in vitro development of bovine IVM/IVF embryos according to cell status, the developmental rates beyond morula stage in the primary culture cell (PCC) co-culture group were the highest of all experimental groups. Expression of genes related to growth (TGF-${\beta}$ EGF and IGFBP), apoptosis (Bax, Caspase-3 and p53) and antioxidation (CuZnSOD, MnSOD, Catalase and GPx) in different status cells of BOEC for embryo culture was detected by RT-PCR. While EGF gene was detected in isolated fresh cells (IFC) and PCC, TGF-${\beta}$ and IGFBP were found in IFC or PCC after use in the embryo culture, respectively. Caspase-3 and Bax genes were detected in all experimental groups regardless of whether the BOEC was used or not used in the embryo culture. However, p53 gene was found in IFC of both conditions for embryo culture and in frozen/thawed culture cells (FPCC) after use in the embryo culture. Although antioxidant genes examined were detected in all experimental groups before using for the embryo culture, these genes were not detected after use. This study indicated that the BOEC co-culture system used for in vitro culture of bovine IVF embryos can increase the developmental rates, and cell generations and status of BOEC might affect the in vitro development of bovine embryos. The BOEC monolayer used in the embryo culture did not express the growth factors (TGF-${\beta}$ and EGF) and enzymatic antioxidant genes, thereby improving embryo development in vitro.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.759-764
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• 2001

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of activation timing, cell cycle and passage on the development of embryos produced by cumulus cell nuclear transfer in Hanwoo (Korean cattle). Nuclear donor cumulus cells were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum at $38.5^{\circ}C$ in a humidified atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$ in air. The 1~6 passages of serum deprived or actively dividing cumulus cells were isolated and used as donor cells. The in vitro matured oocytes were enucleated and then the isolated donor cells were introduced. One pulse of 180 volts for $15{\mu}s$ was applied to induce the fusion between karyoplast and cytoplast. The activation was done before or after the fusion. To activate, oocytes were treated with $10{\mu}M$ calcium ionophore for 5 min immediately followed by 2 mM 6-dimethylaminopurine for 3 h. The nuclear transfer embryos were cultured in $500{\mu}l$ of modified CRlaa supplemented with 3 mg/ml BSA in four well dish covered with mineral oil. After 3 days culture, culture medium was changed into modified CRlaa medium containing 1.5 mg/ml BSA and 5% FBS for 4 days. The incubation environment was 5% $CO_2$, 5% $O_2$, 90% $N_2$ at $38.5^{\circ}C$. There was no blastocyst formation when the nuclear transfer embryos were activated before the fusion, whereas, 29.9% of blastocyst formation was shown when the nuclear transfer embryos were activated after the fusion. When serum deprived and actively dividing cumulus cells were used as nuclear donor cells, the developmental rates to blastocyst were 38.5% and 40.6%, respectively. There was no significant difference between serum deprived and actively dividing cells in the developmental rates. The developmental rates to blastocyst according to 1~6 passages were 37.5~44.4%. However, there were no significant differences among passages. These results indicate that 1~6 passage cumulus cell irrespective of cell cycle could support development of nuclear transfer embryos activated after the fusion.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 1994

This experiment was carried out to develop an in vitro culture system for rabbit embryos. The zygotes or 2-cell embryos were collected from the oviducts of the superovulated and mated does with D-PBS/10% FCS at 24 hours after hCG injection. The in vitro developmental rate of blastocyst formation and the number of nuclei in the embryos were examined under the following treatments; 1) TCM-199 with 10% FCS, 2) EBSS with 10% FCS, 3) rabbit vitreous humor(VH), 4) TCM-199 with 10% FCS＋BOEC, 5) TCM-199 with 10% FCS＋ROEC, 6) EBSS with 10% FCS＋BOEC and 7) EBSS with 10% FCS＋ROEC. For a comparative study of in vivo and in vitro development, the fresh blastocysts, which were developed in vivo for 96 hours after hCG injection, were collected from the uterus and their numbers of nuclei were counted. 1. The zygotes or 2-cell embryos developed to the blastocyst stage in TCM-199, EBSS and VH at the rates of 93, 92 and 89%, respectively. 2. The higher developmental rates 95~98% of blastocyst formation was achieved when the embryos were co-cultured with a monolayer of bovine or rabbit oviductal epithelial cells in TCM-199 or EBSS. No significant difference in developmental rates was shown between bovine and rabbit oviductal epithelial cells. 3. In a comparative study of in vivo and in vitro development, the total numbers of nuclei were significantly less in the in vitro cultured embryos(104~224) than the in vivo developed embryos(1, 0090 at 96 hours after hCG injectin. 4. The mean cell cycle numbers in the embryos cultured for 72 hours in TCM-199 with 10% FCS, EBSS with 10% FCS, TCM-199 with 10% FCS＋BOEC, TCM-199 with 10% FCS＋ROEC, EBSS with 10% FCS＋BOEC and in vivo was 7.38, 6.63, 7.76, 7.69, 7.01 and 9.92, respectively. From these results, it can be suggested the optimal culture system for in vitro culture of rabbit embryos is a co-culture system with bovine or rabbit oviductal epithelial cells in TCM-199 with 10% FCS. Considering the significant reduction in total numbers of nuclei in the in vitro cultured embryos, the advanced research on development of in vitro culture system for rabbit embryos is expected.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 1998

This study was carried out to examine whether the developmental capacity of bovine immature oocytes frozen ultra-rapidly using electron microscope (EM) grids and EFS30 can be obtained. As freezing solution, we used EFS30 which consisted of 30% ethylene glycol, 0.5 M sucrose, 18% ficoll and 10% FBS added in D-PBS. As criterior of oocyte viability, the rates of maturation, fertilization and embryonic development were determined. The results obtained in this experiment were summarized as follows: When ultra-rapidly frozen immature oocytes were thawed, 43.2% of them were survived. The rates of maturation (84.1%) and normal 2 pronuclei formation (57.5%) of frozen immature oocytes were not significantly different when compared to those of control (92.5, 65.0%). In addition, the rates of $\geq2$-cell (65.0%) and blastocyst formation (30.8%) of freezing group were not significantly different when compared to those of control (73.7, 35.7%). These results demonstrate that developmental capacity of frozen-thawed bovine immature oocytes can be successfully obtained when survived from the ultra-rapid freezing method using EM grid and EFS30.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.287-294
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• 2011

The accelerated cooling rate associated with vitrification reduces injuries attributed to cryopreservation and improves the post-freezing developmental competence of vitrified embryos. In this study, embryos were vitrified and warmed and morphologically evaluated for their development to blastocysts. Survival rates between the fresh ($96.7%{\pm}3.8%$) and vitrified embryos ($90.7%{\pm}5.1%$) did not differ significantly (P>0.05). The mitochondrial membrane potential of fresh control cells measured by 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolyl carbocyanide iodide staining was similar to that of cryoprotected and vitrified embryos. Mitochondrial staining with rhodamine 123 did not differ among the fresh, cryoprotected, and vitrified embryos. Moreover, the distribution of $H_2O_2$, assessed by 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining, did not differ among the groups. The results showed that the developmental rate did not differ significantly among the fresh ($87.8%{\pm}11.3%$), cryoprotected ($83.2%{\pm}7.6%$), and vitrified 2-cell embryos ($75.8%{\pm}14.2%$). The mean number of the inner cell mass (ICM), trophectoderm (TE), and apoptotic cells was counted and statistically compared, and although the number of ICM and TE was decreased in the cryoprotected and vitrified embryos, there were no significant differences among the groups (P>0.05). During the cultivation period, randomly selected blastocysts from each group were stained using either 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole and bisbenzimide or the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick-end labeling technique. The incidence of apoptosis appeared to be almost identical in all the groups. Droplet vitrification could subsequently lead to high survival and developmental rates of cryopreserved mouse embryos.