• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.253-258
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• 1997

토끼에서는 수정란 이식과 같은 기본적인 번식공학적 방법의 효율성이 아직 생쥐와 같은 실험동물에 비해 떨어지고 있어 생물공학적인 기술을 응용하는데 큰 어려움이 있다. 특히 유전자 이식에 의한 형질전환 토끼의 생산과 같은 생물공학적인 기술을 실용화하는데 효율이 높은 수정란이식 기술의 개발이 필수적이라고 할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 토끼에서 수정란 이식 기술의 첫 단계인 과배란 유도를 효율적으로 이용할 수 있는 방법을 정립하기 위해 반복적인 과배란 유도가 배란율 및 수정란의 질적인 면과 양적인 면에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 연구방법으로는 FSH와 HCG를 사용하여 과배란을 유도하였고 2.5 개월의 반복처리간격으로 3번의 반복적인 과배란 처리를 한 후 반복처리에 따른 배란율과 배란된 난자의 형태학적 상태, 배양에 의한 발생 능력 상태 등을 감소하였으며 배란수의 변이도 커지는 경향을 나타내었다(첫번째, 32.6(+-)2.5; 두번째 28.7(+-)3.7; 세번째 20.99(+-)3.8). 제 2극체의 돌출, 전핵의 형성, cummulus cell의 존재등에 의한 회수된 난자의 형태학적 관찰에 의한 방법으로 난자를 분류한 결과 과배란의 반복수가 증가함에 따라 다양한 모양의 난자가 회수되어 배란이 광범위한 시간대에 일어나고 있음을 나타내었다. 또한 과배란의 반복적인 유도에 의해 난소의 혈포수는 증가하였으나 채란된 난자의 채외배양에 의한 발육율에는 차이가 없었다. 그러므로 과배란의 반복적인 유도는 공란토의 난소반응에는 영향을 미쳤으나 난자의 질에는 영향을 미치지 않았음을 나타낸다.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.335-341
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• 1997

The aims of this study are to establish a stable isolation method of blastomeres from bovine early embryos and examine their developmental potential in vitro Early embryos were produced by maturation and fertilizaion in vitro of bovine follicular oocytes. Blastomeres were isolated from 2~8-cell embryos in $Ca^2$+-, $Mg^2$+-free PBS+EDTA after removing the zonae pellucidae Isolated blastomeres were cultured in CZB containing BOEC for upto 240 hpi. Cleavage rates of them were 18.5%(10 /54) in 1 /2 blastomeres, 33.3%(16/48) in 1/4 blastomeres and 34.2%(14 /41) in 1/8 blastomeres, respectively. The rates of blastocystic vesicle formed were 8.7%(4 /46) in 1/2 blastomeres, 26.6% (17/64) in 1/4 blastomeres and 10.3%(8 /78) in 1/8 blastomeres, respectively. Blastomeres developed into various types of blastocystic vesicles and trophoblastic vesicles as evidenced by the Hoechst 33258 staining and morphology. This results suggest that the isolation method used and subsequent culture of isolated blastomeres from bovine early embryos should be useful to obtain extra embryonic cells for various analyses such as PCR and putative ES cell culture.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 1991

소와 견에 있어서 Unopette가 정자의 형태학적 검사 및 정자농도의 검사를 위하여 사용될 수 있는가를 알아 보기 위하여본 연구를 수행하였다. 소정액 및 견정액을 Unopette에 희석한 후 3-5$^{\circ}C$에 보존하면서 시간경과에 따라서 위상차현미경하에서 관찰하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1. Unopette를 사용하여 관찰한 정자는 48시간까지는 hematoxylin-eosin을 사용하여 정자보다는 높은 정상정자율을 나타내넜다. 2. Unopette를 사용한 정자는 정자농도에 있어서 대조군 정자에 비하여 24시간까지는 큰 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 3. 따라서 Unopette는 정자의 형태학적 검사 및 정자농도의 검사를 위하여 유용하게 사용될 수 있다는 사실을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.127-131
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• 2008

Bone marrow (BM) cell harvesting is a crucial element in the isolation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). A simple method for harvesting cat BM cells is described. The results show that a large number of BM cells can rapidly be harvested from the cat by this simple procedure. MSCs prepared by density-gradient method were spindle-shaped morphology with bipolar or polygonal cell bodies and strongly positive for CD9 and CD44 and negative for CD18 and CD45-like. They were capable of differentiation to adipocytic and osteocytic phenotypes when exposed to appropriate induction media. The advantages of this method are its rapidity, simplicity, low invasiveness, and low donor attrition and good outcome.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.281-286
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• 1995

This experiment was conducted to obtain the basic information on new- and latent-bud formation, and stem vestige arrangement on the rhizome of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. Latent buds emerged from meristematic region between shoot and root of the embryo, and new buds for the next year were distributed both at the bottom portion of the stem and the rhizome. In the new buds, organs such as leaf, stem, and flower bud were already completely differentiated, while the latent bud had an undifferentiated meristematic tissue arranged linearly in a vertical line, indicating that each year new- and latent-buds are formed successively. This result suggests that the number of stem vestige may be used for the determination of ginseng age. Key words Rhizome, new-bud, latent-bud, histology, morphology, stem vestige, vestige arrangement.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 1992

In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF & ET) is widely used for the males with subnormal or abnormal semen quality, as this was recommended in view of the relatively small numbers of spermatozoa required for fertilization and subsequent pregnancies could be obtained. The aim of this study is to know how the various functional parameters of spermatozoa in semen analysis affect the outcome IVF. This study was carried out between 1988-1989, with male factor patients selected on the basis of the semen quality. The selection criteria was based upon the mean values of concentration,% motility and % normal morphology from at least two semen analysis. There is a significant decrease in the fertilization and embryo transfer rates in the study group compared with control group (35.9% vs. 68% and 48.6% vs. 85.5% respectively), however, there was no significant difference in the pregnancy or delivery rates (19.6% vs. 21.4% and 60.0% vs. 62.5% respectively) per embryo transfer cycles. Fertilization rate is variously affected by the type and degree of sperm defect. No pregnancy was occurred in triple defect group and asthenoteratospermia group. There is no significant increase in the abortion rate in the male factor group. Improvement have to be made with the fertilization rate, as the pregnancy rate per OPU cycle in male factor group is still lower than that of normal group (9.5% vs. 18.3%). In conclusion, IVF can be used as a treatment for male factor infertility and the preparation of the semen sample can be modified to improve sperm recovery and obtain fertilization from abnormal semen samples.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 2009

The aim of the present study was to investigate the cleavage pattern, its developmental ability and apoptosis of porcine embryo in vitro. Morphology data on a total of 919 embryos were analyzed retrospectively. Forty-eight hours after insemination, embryos were classified into five groups based on the cleavage state as follows; 1 cell, 2 cell, 4 cell, 5 to 8 cell and fragmentation. These groups were cultured another 120 hours and then evaluated for blastocyst formation. Blastocyst formation rates were significantly higher in 4 cell (42.5%) and 5 to 8 cell (48.6%) cleaving groups than in other groups (p<0.05). On the other hand, 2 cell and fragmentation groups produced 4.9% and 3,9% blastocysts, respectively. And we could verify that in the event of 2 cell block and fragmentation of embryo. To analyze the apoptotic frequency in preimplantation development of porcine IVF embryos, all cells of each blastocyst were performed by TUNEL assay. There were no significantly differences in the total cell numbers of embryos and apoptotic cell rate in blastocysts among the each classified groups. Data suggest that 4 cell and 5 to 8 cell cleaving embryos at 48 hour after insemination have high developmental competence, and may be an useful parameter to predict the development of preimplantation embryos and to study using preimplanation embryonic research.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.50-60
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• 2021

Objective: This study investigated the mRNA expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the sperm of oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) and teratozoospermic (TER) men compared to normozoospermic (NOR) men, as well as the relationships between GABA receptor expression and sperm parameters, fertilization rate, and embryo quality. Methods: The mRNA expression of GABA A-α1 and GABA B-R2 receptors in sperm was examined using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in three groups of patients: NOR (n=32), OAT (n=22), and TER (n=45). The fertilization rate and embryo quality were assessed in 35 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI; 10 NOR, 10 OAT, and 15 TER men). Results: OAT men had significantly higher mRNA expression of GABA A-α1 and GABA B-R2 receptors in sperm than NOR men; however, the difference between TER and NOR men was not significant. High levels of these receptors were significantly correlated with low sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, as well as the rate of good-quality embryos (GQEs) at the cleavage stage after ICSI. Patients whose female partners had a >50% GQE rate at the cleavage stage had significantly lower levels of GABA A-α1 receptor expression than those whose partners had a ≤50% GQE rate. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that mRNA levels of GABA receptors in human sperm are correlated with poor sperm quality and associated with embryo development after ICSI treatment. The GABA A-α1 receptor in sperm has a stronger relationship with embryo quality at the cleavage stage than the GABA B-R2 receptor.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2016

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate associations between the morphology score of blastocysts and blastocoele re-expansion speed after warming with clinical outcomes, which could assist in making correct and cost-effective decisions regarding the appropriate time to vitrify blastocysts and to transfer vitrified-warmed blastocysts. Methods: A total of 327 vitrified-warmed two-blastocyst transfer cycles in women 38 years old and younger were included in this retrospective study. Results: The clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and implantation rate (IR) of transfers of two good-morphology grade 4 blastocysts vitrified on day 5 (64.1% and 46.8%, respectively) were significantly higher than the CPR and IR associated with the transfers of two good-morphology grade 3 blastocysts vitrified on day 5 (46.7% and 32.2%, respectively). No significant differences were found in the CPR and IR among the transfers of two good-morphology grade 4 blastocysts regardless of the day of cryopreservation. Logistic regression analysis showed that blastocoele reexpansion speed after warming was associated with the CPR. Conclusion: The selection of a good-morphology grade 4 blastocyst to be vitrified could be superior to the choice of a grade 3 blastocyst. Extending the culture of grade 3 blastocysts and freezing grade 4 or higher blastocysts on day 6 could lead to a greater likelihood of pregnancy. Since re-expansion was shown to be a morphological marker of superior blastocyst viability, blastocysts that quickly re-expand after warming should be prioritized for transfer.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.31-34
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• 2004

White blood cells (WBCs) are present in most human ejaculates, but abnormally high concentration of seminal leukocytes may reflect an underlying pathological condition. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined leukocytospermia as status of more than $10^6$ WBC/mL of semen. The purpose of this study was firstly, to compare the outcomes between conventional IVF and ICSI in leukocytospermia, and secondly, to investigate whether ICSI may be an alternation treatment for patients with leukocytospermia. Total 346 cycles of conventional IVF and ICSI candidates underwent IVF cycles at Eulji Hospital Infertility Clinic. Semen Parameters including concentration, motility, morphology of spermatozoa and concentration of leukocytes were assessed from the raw ejaculates. There was no difference in sperm concentration, motility and morphology. The rates of fertilization and good embryo development from ICSI were significantly higher than those from conventional IVF in leukocytospermia (60.4% ＆ 32.5%, respectively for ICSI group and 44.4% ＆ 28.5%, respectively for IVF group, P<0.00l). The pregnancy rate after ICSI was also higher than that from conventional IVF (34.0% vs 29.1 %, P<0.05). These results indicate that the presence of seminal leukocyes (> 1$\times10^6$ WBC/mL of semen) is adversely related with fertilization, embryo development and pregnancy rate. Therfore the measurement of seminal leukocytes in routine semen analysis appears to be of prognostic value with regard to male fertilizing potential. In conclusion, it is suggested that ICSI is an alternative choice of treatment for patients with leukocytospermia.