• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.201-210
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• 1996

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of early mouse embryonic development in vitro by co-culture with bovine and porcine oviductal epithelial cells (BOEC and POEC). The 2-cell embryos were collected from the oviducts of the superovulated and mated cultured in D-PBS /15% FCS at 48 hours after hCG injection. The in vitro developmental rate of blastocyst formation in the embryos were examined under the fllowing treatments; 1) TCM 199 added 15% HCS, 2) Ham's F-10 added 15% HCS, 3) MediCult IVF medium, 4) TCM 199 added 15% HCS + BOEC, 5) TCM 199 added 15% HCS + POEC, 6) Ham's F40 added 15% HCS + BOEC, 7) Ham's F-10 added 15% HCS + POEC,8) MediCult IVF medium + BOEC, 9) MediCult IVF medium + POEC. For a comparative study of in vitro development for 96 hours after hCG injection, were cultured with oviductal epithelial cell and media only. The obtained results were 2-cell embryos developed to the blastocyst stage in TCM 199, Ham's F-10 and MediCult IVF medium at the rates of 84.4,83.2 and 81.6%. respectively. The higher developmental rates(91~97%) of blastocyst formation was appeared when the embryos were co-cultured with a monolayer of bovine or porcine oviductal epithelial cells in TCM 199 or Ham's F-10 and MediCult IVF media. No significant difference in developmental rates was shown between bovine and porcine oviductal epithelial cells but significant difference in co-culture system in comparison between media only system and co-cultures. In conclusions, oviductal epithelial cells, BOEC and POEC, when co-culture with mouse early embryos improved the rates of development, blastocyst and hatching. Therefore, it is suggested that co-culture system using oviductal epithelial cells improve early embryonic developtnent in mouse.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.117-125
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• 1994

In vitro development of parthenogenetic embryo was examined after ethanol treatment of follicular oocytes matured in vitro for 42, 48, 54 and 60h in the pig. The follicular oocytes were matured in TCM 199 containing 15% FCS and gonadotrophins in an atmosphere of 39 $^{\circ}C$ 5% $CO_2$. The cumulus-free oocytes were activated by 10% ethanol treatment in M2+4mg /ml BSA for 10 min. The ethanol-activated oocytes were washed and further cultured in TCM199+20%FCS containing granulosa cell monolayer. Maturation rates at 42, 48, 54 and 60h of IVM were 75.0, 86.5, 81.6 and 87.9%, respectively. Thus the oocytes maturated in vitro for longer periods did not improve nuclear maturation much. Pronuclear formation rates at 18h post-activation in ethanol-activated oocytes were 21.9, 25.0, 47.4 and 32.6%. The cytoplasmic maturation leading to pronuclear formation upon activation increased when the I VM period was extended from 42 to 54h. When the activated oocytes were cultured for 96~120h to analyse early development of the activated oocytes, the rates of embryonic development upto $\leq$ 5~8 cell were 5.3, 5.8, 12.0 and 11.7% among the cultured embryos. The result indicate that earlier development of activated porcine occyte is dependent on the duration of oocyte maturation, and that better development could be obtained from the oocyte matured for 54h.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.53-60
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• 2015

Environmental conditions during early mammalian embryo development are critical and some adaptational phenomena are observed. However, the mechanisms underlying them remain largely masked. Previously, we reported that AQP5 expression is modified by the environmental condition without losing the developmental potency. In this study, AQP11 was examined instead. To compare expression pattern between in vivo and in vitro, we conducted quantitative RT-PCR and analyzed localization of the AQP11 by whole mount immunofluorescence. When the fertilized embryos were developed in the maternal tracts, the level of Aqp11 transcripts was decreased dramatically until 2-cell stage. Its level increased after 2-cell stage and peaked at 4-cell stage, but decreased again dramatically until morula stage. Its transcript level increased again at blastocyst stage. In contrast, the levels of Aqp11 transcript in embryos cultured in vitro were as follows. The patterns of expression were similar but the overall levels were low compared with those of embryos grown in the maternal tracts. AQP11 proteins were localized in submembrane cytoplasm of embryos collected from maternal reproductive tracts. The immune-reactive signals were detected in both trophectoderm and inner cell mass. However, its localization was altered in in vitro culture condition. It was localized mainly in the plasma membrane of the blastocysts contacting with external environment. The present study suggests that early stage embryo can develop successfully by themselves adapting to their environmental condition through modulation of the expression level and localization of specific genes like AQP11.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.194-198
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• 2007

Reproductive traits of Palaemon gravieri such as embryo size, number of embryo (fecundity), incubation period, larval development mode, larval development period, larval survival and larval growth were described and compared to analyze the correlation among those traits. Embryo volume is a primary factor determining other ensuing reproductive features. Egg volume was $0.042mm^3$ in the first developmental stage. Embryo volume in P. gravieri was comparatively small which is indicative of great number of embryo (y = 3.0161x + 0.0185 $R^2$ = 0.74 positive isometric relationship) and relatively long incubation period. Larvae survived from zoea 1 to post-larvae and it took 45 days at $22^{\circ}C$. Survival rate of the larvae was rather great in the early stage and thereafter steadily decreased. Daily growth rate of larvae in P. gravieri at $22^{\circ}C$ was 0.0195 mm on average. They grew steadily as time went by. Incubation period was between 10-14 days at $22^{\circ}C$. Larval development mode was almost complete planktotrophic. PNR (point of no return) appeared to be the third day on average. Survival rate of larvae without feeding declined rapidly between 3 and 4 days. Larval development period and stage frequency were 23-30 days and 11 stages which imply prolonged larval period and high mortality. The pattern of brood production followed fast successive parturial pattern. Most ovigerous female had mature ovary when they performed parturial molt soon after hatching (larval release).

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.77-85
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• 2015

One of the key factors of early development is the specification of competence between the oocyte and the sperm, which occurs during gametogenesis. However, the starting point, growth, and maturation for acquiring competence during spermatogenesis and oogenesis in mammals are very different. Spermatogenesis includes spermiogenesis, but such a metamorphosis is not observed during oogenesis. Glycosylation, a ubiquitous modification, is a preliminary requisite for distribution of the structural and functional components of spermatids for metamorphosis. In addition, glycosylation using epididymal or female genital secretory glycans is an important process for the sperm maturation, the acquisition of the potential for fertilization, and the acceleration of early embryo development. However, nonemzymatic unexpected covalent bonding of a carbohydrate and malglycosylation can result in falling fertility rates as shown in the diabetic male. So far, glycosylation during spermatogenesis and the dynamics of the plasma membrane in the process of capacitation and fertilization have been evaluated, and a powerful role of glycosylation in spermatogenesis and early development is also suggested by structural bioinformatics, functional genomics, and functional proteomics. Further understanding of glycosylation is needed to provide a better understanding of fertilization and embryo development and for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools for infertility.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.22 no.4
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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.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.762-767
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• 2012

The ecotoxicity assessment of nanomaterials (NMs) in the environment is actively conducted throughout the world because of the concerns about their potential risk from usage and release into the environment, as well as their unique physiochemical properties. Ecotoxicity tests for NMs have been conducted using various species and methods; however, in spite of these efforts, the characteristics and toxicity of NMs have not been defined. The fish embryo toxicity test (FET) has been conducted extensively to evaluate the toxicity of NMs as an alternative to a whole-body test in fish. In this study, we collected and analyzed the trends of nanotoxicity on the early development of freshwater fish. The model nanomaterials are carbon NMs ($C_{60},\;C_{70},\;C_{60}$(OH)n and carbon nanotube). Their adverse effects were extensively investigated based on the properties of NMs, test species, and diverse exposure conditions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1681-1690
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a reported p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-${\alpha}$ (PFT-${\alpha}$), on preimplantation porcine in vitro fertilized (IVF) embryo development in culture. Treatment of PFT-${\alpha}$ was administered at both early (0 to 48 hpi), and later stages (48 to 168 hpi) of preimplantation development, and its impact upon the expression of five genes related to apoptosis (p53, bak, bcl-xL, p66Shc and caspase3), was assessed in resulting d 7 blastocysts, using real-time quantitative PCR. Total cell numbers, along with the number of apoptotic nuclei, as detected by the in situ cell death detection assay, were also calculated on d 7 in treated and non-treated control embryos. The results indicate that PFT-${\alpha}$, when administered at both early and later stages of porcine IVF embryo development, increases the incidence of apoptosis in resulting blastocysts. When administered at early cleavage stages, PFT-${\alpha}$ treatment was shown to reduce the developmental competence of porcine IVF embryos, as well as reducing the quality of resulting blastocysts in terms of overall cell numbers. In contrast, at later stages, PFT-${\alpha}$ administration resulted in marginally increased blastocyst development rates amongst treated embryos, but did not affect cell numbers. However, PFT-${\alpha}$ treatment induced apoptosis and apoptotic related gene expression, in all treated embryos, irrespective of the timing of treatment. Our results indicate that PFT-${\alpha}$ may severely compromise the developmental potential of porcine IVF embryos, and is a potent apoptotic agent when placed into porcine embryo culture media. Thus, caution should be exercised when using PFT-${\alpha}$ as a specific inhibitor of p53 mediated apoptosis, in the context of porcine IVF embryo culture systems.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.647-659
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• 1997

To overcome the difficulties of collecting and culture of primary cell from genital tract on embryonic development, the present study was carried out to investigate the critical effect of cell lines, such as BRL and Vero cell and its conditioned medium on the development of early Korean native cattle embryos in vitro. Oocytes collected from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured in TCM199 containing FSH, estradiol-$17{\beta}$ and FBS with granulosa cell monolayer for 24 hours and then fertilized in vitro using frozen-thawed, heparin-treated spermatozoa in TALP for 30 hours. And then early embryos (1-2cell) were cultured in TCM199 containing 10% FBS with BOEC, Granulosa, BRL, Vera cell monolayers and conditioned medium for 2~3 days. Development to morulae and blastocysts were recorded, also examined the number of blastomeres presented a valuable parameter for the evaluation of embryonic development. The early cleavage rates of in vitro fertilized embryos co-cultured, there was no differences between primary cell and cell lines(p<0.05). The rate of development to the later stage, coculture of BRL cell was significantly higher than that of the primary cell(p<0.05). The rates of development to morula and blastocyst were significantly higher in vero cell than BRL, Granulosa, Oviduct epithelial cell conditioned medium. In the result of effect of serum on development of early bovine embryos, the use of media containing serum were significantly higher than the use of not containing one on development of early and later stage of embryos. The result of number of blastomeres in blastocysts, there is no differences between primary cell and cell lines. The blastocysts from coculture were higher than from conditioned medium in blastomere cells. In summary, these experments have proved that the culture system in TCM199 with BRL, Vero cell monolayers is effective on in vitro development of early bovine embryos, In addition, it is effective to development of bovine embryos that containing serum in conditioned medium, or in co-culture rather than in conditioned medium alone. The use of cell lines opponent to primary cells is effective in bovine embryo culture.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.171-175
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• 1995

This study was performed to establish the condition and the methods for the techniques of insertion the isolated blastomere cells into cytoplasm, in order to research the develop-mental ability of bovine embryo blastomere cells in vitro produced. After 24h in vitro ovary maturation with the ovaries from a slaughter house, in vitro fertilization was performed to the vital sperms which their mobility were decided by percoll gradient method, with 2~8 cell stage embryos, the blastomeres were isolated in $Ca^2$+. $Mg^2$+-free PBS, and following that embedded into agar and alginate solution, respectively. The rates of in vitro develop-ment are as follows ; in agar embedded 11 among 120(9.2%) 1 /2~1 /3 blastomers cleaved and 6 among 93(6.5%) 1 /4~1 /8 blastomeres cleaved. In sodium alginate-embedded 14 among 84(16.7%) 1 /2~1 /3 blastomeres cleaved and 6 among 85(7.1%) 1 /4~1 /8 blastomeres cleaved. In case of Na-alginate, the rate of the cells were better than those of agar. The results suggest that the techniques for embeeding the isolated blastomeres into gel may help cloning of bovine early embryo without nuclear transplantation.