• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 1991

The development of 2-cell mouse embryos to the blastocyst stage in vitro has been used as a quality control for the media empolyed for human in vitro fertilization. There was a comparison between the quality control data of the culture medium as ascertained by 2-cell mouse embryos development and sperm motility and the data from fertilization and cleavage of human oocytes. However, there was no obvious association between fertilization and cleavage of human oocytes and the quality of the medium ascertained by mouse embryo development and sperm motility.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.122-123
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• 2006

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 1994

The objective of this study was to develop an effective in vitro production system capable of obtaining more porcine embryos from immature oocytes. These experiments were thus conducted to examine the effect of oocytes type and maturation time on the in vitro maturation(IVM) and fertilization(IVF) of oocytes and the in vitro development (IVD)of IVF embryos. 1. The degree of oocyte maturation based on cumulus expansion index(GEI) did not differ for A- and B-typed oocytes but the index of oocyte type C was lower(P<0.05) than that of other oocyte types. 2. When the oocytes of type A and B were matured for 36, 42 and 48hrs, the GEl was not different between the 36- and 42-h maturation but the GEl after 48hrs was greatly lower(P<0.05) than that of other maturation times. 3. The highest cleavage rate(48.6%) of IVF oocytes was obtained from A typed oocytes and 42-h maturation but the developmental potential based on cleavage index was the highest when B-typed oocytes were matured for 42hrs.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.261-268
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• 1994

Immatured bovine follicular oocytes added with serum, hormones, granulosa cells and bovine oviduct epithelium cells were fertilized in vitro after in vitro maturation. In vitro maturation and early development capacity were examined and IVF-derived embryos were transferred and to recipients and effects of sperm treatment on in vitro capacitation were investigated. The rate of in vitro maturation was improved when they were co-culutred with granulosa cells in the TCM199 medium added with 10% FCS and hormones. The percentage of acrosome reaction was not differed between sperm treatments and sperm of above 25% under-went AR during 30 min preincubation with caffeine and heparin. The cleavage rate of oocytes in vitro fertilized in TCM199 medium added with 10% FCS and hormones, GC or BOEG higher than that in medium with 10% FCS and GC. But the rate was not significantly different between GC and BOEG The cleavage of rate oocytes cultured in medium containing serum, hormones and BOEG was 80.2% and more embryos were developed to Blastocyst (17.3%). The selected embryos were transferred to 9 recipients by surgical or nonsurgical method but did not result in pregnancy.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2010

Early cleavage is a reliable prognostic tool for successful embryo transfer in assisted reproduction because early cleaved embryo show better pregnancy rate after transfer. There for, preparation of good embryo recipient is important factor to optimize efficiency of pig cloning. The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of early cleavage on the in vivo development of cloned embryos and to analyze breed, parity and estrous synchrony to optimize recipient for pig cloning. In vitro matured porcine oocytes derived from local slaughterhouse and fibroblasts derived from miniature pig fetuses were used for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Reconstructed embryos were transferred to recipient pigs on the same day of SCNT or after 1~2 days of in vitro culture for selecting early cleaved embryos. Breed, parity and date of standing estrous of recipients were recorded for analysis. After 25~35 days after embryo transfer pregnancy was diagnosed using ultrasonography, and pregnant recipients were monitored till delivery. Between purebred and crossbred, no significant difference was founded in both pregnancy and delivery rates. However, early cleaved embryos showed significantly higher pregnancy (46.2%) and delivery (12.8%) rates compared to non-selectively transferred group (24.8% and 4.5%, respectively). The results also showed that the recipients showing standing estrous on the same day of SCNT and less than 4 parities were most suitable for pig cloning.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.125-131
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• 1992

The possible effect of human follicular fluid(hFF) on the growth and development of fertilized oocytes and embryos is important because the fallopian tubes are exposed to FF after follicular rupture and the processes of fertilization and embryo cleavage occur inside the fallopian tubes. Previously, it was suggested that human FF might adversely affect on the development of early mouse embryos. In order to investigate the effect of hFF on the development of embryos, early mouse embryos were cultured in media containing various protein sources as bovine serum albumin(BSA), fetal cord serum(FCS) and FF. And we evaluated the development of early mouse embryos in terms of the morphology, cleavage rate, and cell count of blastcysts. There were no significant differences in the morula and blstocyst formation rates of 2-cell mouse embryos cultured in the media containg three different protein sources and three different concentrations of FF. The blastocyst formation rate of 1-cell mouse embryo cultured in FF group was significantly higher than that cultured in BSA group(P<0.05). The morula and blastocyst formation rates of 2-cell mouse embryos of the group cultured in the media containing FF were comparable with those of other two groups, in addition, the cell count of blastocysts of FF group in the 2-cell embryo culture was higher than those of BSA group and HCS group(P<0.01), and this finding was also noted in 1-cell embryo culture. There was no difference in the morula and blastocyst formation rates of the 2-cell mouse embryos cultured in the media containing different concentrations of FF. These results suggest that mature human follicular fluid has no inhibitory activity on the development of early mouse embryos even in high concentration and may be a good protein source which is positively associated with the development of mouse embryos in vitro especially in 1 cell embryo culture.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.261-265
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• 2000

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the influence of maternal age on embryo quality and the frequency of multiple pregnancy in IVF-ET program. Method: 86 conventional IVF-ET cycles were divided into three groups according to the age by 5 year (group A: 26-30, group B: 31-35, group C: 36-40 yrs). The in vitro fertilization and development outcome (fertilization, cleavage and high quality embryo rate) and the pregnancy outcome (pregnancy, implantation, G-sac/high quality embryo and multiple pregnancy rate) were examined. And then, these results were compared among the groups. Results: The rates of fertilization (62.7, 68.5 and 65.4%, respectively) and cleavage (95.6, 97.6 and 98.0%, respectively) were not different among the groups. And the high quality embryo (HQE) rate also was not different among the groups (61.8, 62.9 and 62.8%, respectively). The pregnancy rate of group C (23.3%) was significantly lower than that of group A (41.2%) and B (48.7%). And the implantation rate was significantly decreased with advance in maternal age (group A; 17.3%, B; 12.6% and C; 6.0%). The G-sac/high quality embryo rate was significantly higher in group A (70.8%) when compared to group B (32.2%) and C (40.0%). On the other hand, the multiple pregnancy rate was significantly lower in group C (14.3%) when compared to group A (71.4%) and B (36.8%). Conclusion: The pregnancy rate was significantly decreased over 35 years. The G-sac/HQE and multiple pregnancy rate were significantly high below 31 years. Thus, these results suggest that the number of high quality embryo transferred should be limited by the age and another criteria for embryo quality evaluation were required for single embryo transfer.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of post-activation treatment with cytoskeletal regulators in combination with or without 6-dimethylaminopurine (DMAP) on embryonic development of pig oocytes after parthenogenesis (PA) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). PA and SCNT oocytes were produced by using in vitro-matured pig oocytes and treated for 4 h after electric activation with $0.5{\mu}M$ latrunculin A (LA), $10.4{\mu}M$ cytochalasins B (CB), and $4.9{\mu}M$ cytochalasins D (CD) together with none or 2 mM DMAP. Post-activation treatment of PA oocytes with LA, CB, and CD did not alter embryo cleavage (85.8~88.6%), blastocyst formation (30.7~ 32.4%), and mean cell number of blastocysts (33.5~33.8 cells/blastocyst). When PA oocytes were treated with LA, CB, and CD in combination with DMAP, blastocyst formation was significantly (P<0.05) improved by CB+DMAP (42.5%) compared to LA+DMAP (28.0%) and CD+DMAP (25.1%), but no significant differences were found in embryo cleavage (77.5~78.0%) and mean blastocyst cell number (33.6~35.0 cells) among the three groups. In SCNT, blastocyst formation was significantly (P<0.05) increased by post-activation treatment with LA+DMAP (32.9%) and CD+DMAP (35.0%) compared to CB+DMAP (22.0%) while embryo cleavage (85.5~85.7%) and blastocyst cell number (41.1~43.8 cells) were not influenced. All three treatments (LA, CB, and CD with DMAP) effectively inhibited pseudo-polar body extrusion in SCNT oocytes. The proportions of oocytes showing single pronucleus formation were 89.6%, 83.9%, and 93.3%, respectively with the increased tendency (P<0.1) by LA+DMAP and CD+ DMAP compared to CB+DMAP. Our results demonstrate that post-activation treatment with LA or CD in combination with DMAP improves pre-implantation development of SCNT embryos and the stimulating effect of cytoskeletal modifiers on embryonic development is differentially shown depending on the origin (PA or SCNT) of embryos in pigs.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.293-300
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• 1997

Supplementation of maturation medium with additional granulosa cells has beneficial effect on in vitro maturation of bovine follicular oocytes and their subsequent cleavage and development in vitro. However, maturation system using granulosa cells have some disadvantages that collection of granulosa cells is cumbersome and metabolic activity of the cells is variable according to ovarian cycle or follicular size. We hypothesized that bovine immsture oocytes matured without granulosa cell coculture can fertilize and develop normally if the medium volume per oocyte is reduced during in vitro maturation. Immature oocytes were matured for 24 hours in a TCM199 containing 10% fetal calf serum, anterior pitultary hormone (0.02 AU /ml Antrinⓡ) and estradiol with or without granulosa cells in vitro. In Group 1, 35 to 40 oocytes were matured in a well of 4-well plastic dish containing 500 $\mu$l of maturation medium and granulosa cells, and 9 to 10 oocytes were matured in a 50-$\mu$l drop of maturation medium without granulosa cells in Group 2. After maturation, oocytes were coincubated with sperm for 30 hours in a modified Tyrode's medium (IVF). Inseminated oocytes were cultured in a microdrop (30 $\mu$l) of a synthetic oviduct fluld medium (SOFM) containing BSA, Minimum Essential Medium essential and non-essential amino acids for 9 days. As a preliminary experiment, we investigated the beneficial effect of granulosa cells during maturation on subsequent cleavage and development using the same type of culturedishes (4-well dish). Granulosa cells could not increase embryo cleavage after fertilization but significantly improved (p<0.05) embryo development to expanding blastocyst (Table1 and 2). In Group 1, 68 and 80% of inseminated oocytes have cleaved at 30 hours and 2 days after IVF, respectively, which is similar (p>0.05) to the result of Group 2 (69% at 30 hours and 78% at 2 days after IVF). The oocytes in Group 2 showed 21 and 11% of developmental rates to expanding and hatching blastocysts, respectively, which was not significantly different (p>0.05) from those (20 and 10%, respectively) of oocytes in Group 1. In conclusion, it has been clarified that a microdrop culture system without granulosa cells for in vitro maturation can support bovine embryonic development to blastocyst in vitro as readily as a granulosa cell coculture system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.894-896
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• 2000

In vitro fertilization can be used for salvaging superior buffalo germplasm which otherwise goes waste after the slaughter of animals. This technology has also increased our basic understanding of growth of germ cells and embryos. The requirement of growing embryos is peculiar and stage specific. In the present study the cleavage and development of buffalo embryos were studied with homologous (buffalo) and heterologous (goat) oviductal cell co-culture systems. The cleavage rate improved significantly (p<0.01) in both homologous and heterologous co-culture as compared to control (55.3, 46.8 and 11.4%). The morula formation using homologous and heterologous oviductal cells also increased significantly as compared to control group (43.6, 21.9 & 1.9%). There was no blastula formation in control group, but addition of oviductal cells either from homologous or heterologous species significantly increased the blastula formation (9.5, 12.5%). The cleavage rate and embryo development was slightly better (non significant) in homologous as compared to heterologous oviductal cell culture. It was concluded that the use of oviductal cell co-culture (homologous and heterologous species) have significantly improved cleavage and development of buffalo embryos in vitro.