• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 1990

The present study was carried to investigate the development potential of bovine follicular oocytes matured and fertilized in vitro. Bovine oocytes matured in vitro were fertilized, cultured, and transfered to the rabbit oviduct for in vitro culture to evaluate the development potential. The rates of in vitro maturation, fertilization and polyspermy were 96%(355/369), 90%(320/355) and 15%(17/320), respectively. The percentage of oocytes cleaved after culture for 48 hours, to 2 cell, 3~4 cell, 6~8 cell stage were 17%(60/356), 21%(75/356) and 19%(67/356), respectively and overall cleavage rate was 57%(202/356). The rate of recovered embryos after 5 days in rabbit oviduct was 56%(80/142), and 21%(17/80) of recovered embryos developed over morula stage.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2014

$K^+$ channels are involved in the regulation of a variety of physiological functions, including proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation, in mammalian cells. Our previous study demonstrated that the blockage of $K^+$ channels inhibits mouse early embryonic development. This study was designed to identify the effect of $K^+$ channels during bovine embryonic development. $K^+$ channel blockers (tetraethylammonium (TEA), $BaCl_2$, quinine, ruthenium red and fluoxetine) were added to the culture medium during in vitro fertilization (IVF) for 6 h to first identify the short-term effect of these chemicals. Among $K^+$ channel blockers, fluoxetine, which is used as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, significantly increased the blastocyst formation rate by approximately 6% when compared to control. During the in vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes and the in vitro culture (IVC) of embryos, the oocytes and embryos were exposed to fluoxetine for either a short-term (6 h) or a long-term (24 h) to compare the embryonic development in response to exposure time. The 6 h exposure to fluoxetine during IVM did not affect the blastocyst formation rate, but the rate of blastocyst formation was reduced after the 24 h exposure. On the other hand, embryonic development increased approximately 10% in both groups of embryos exposed to fluoxetine for 6 and 24 h during IVC. Taken together, fluoxetine treatment during IVF and IVC, but not IVM, enhances bovine embryonic development. These results suggest that fluoxetine-modulated signals in oocytes and embryos could be an important factor towards enhancing bovine embryonic development.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of vitamin B (pantothenic acid, folic acid, and myo-inositol) that was supplemented to embryo culture medium on in vitro development of parthenogenetically activated (PA) pig embryos. Cumulus-oocyte complexes derived from slaughtered ovaries were matured in TCM-199 supplemented with porcine follicular fluid, cysteine, pyruvate, EGF, insulin, and hormones (hCG and eCG) for the first 22 h and then further cultured in hormone-free medium for an additional 22 h. After maturation culture, metaphase II oocytes that extruded 1st polar body were electrically activated and treated with $5.0\;{\mu}g/ml$ cytochalasin B for 4 h. Then, PA embryos were cultured for 7 days in a modified NCSU-23 that was supplemented with pantothenic acid, myo-inositol, or folic acid at different concentrations ($3{\sim}300\;{\mu}M$) according to the experimental design. Myo-inositol added to culture medium did not show any beneficial or inhibitory effects on embryo cleavage and blastocyst formation. However, $300\;{\mu}M$ pantothenic acid significantly inhibited blastocyst formation compared to control (no addition) (24% vs. 36%, p<0.05). Folic acid ($300\;{\mu}M$) significantly (p<0.05) increased blastocyst formation (56%) compared to control (41%). Our results demonstrated that in vitro development of PA embryos was significantly influenced by vitamin B and addition of $300\;{\mu}M$ folic acid to culture medium improved in vitro development of pig PA embryos.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 1992

These studies were carried out ot investigate on the transferred embryo development following ultrarapid frozen for 8-cell and morula of in vitro fertilization mouse embryos. The post-thaw embryo survival was evaluated and compared by cell stage of embryos and by equilibration time before ultrarapid freezing. The results obatined were summerized as follows: 1. The effects of equilibration time of 3 vs. 6 minutes before ultrarapid freezing and after thawing on the morphological survival and the viability of 8-cell and morulas embryos were not significant. 2. When the ultrarapid frozen-thawed 32 eight-cell and 33 morula embryos, and 30 fresh blastocysts were transferred to pseudopregnant recipient mice, the number of normal offsprings produced were 9(28.1%), 14(42.4%) and 18(60.0%), respectively. From the above resutls, it was concluded that the optimal conditions of pH osmolality of the media for mouse IVF and embryo culture, and the period of sperm preincubation might be 7.1, 310 mOsm and 120 min., respectively,a nd somewhat high conception rate might be resulted from transfer of frozen embryos of morula stage and fresh embryos of blastocyst stage.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.244-252
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• 2023

Objective: We evaluated the efficacy of the newly developed optimized in vitro culture (OIVC) dish for cultivating preimplantation mouse embryos. This dish minimizes the need for mineral oil and incorporates microwells, providing a stable culture environment and enabling independent monitoring of individual embryos. Methods: Mouse pronuclear (PN) zygotes and two-cell-stage embryos were collected at 18 and 46 hours after human chorionic gonadotropin injection, respectively. These were cultured for 120 hours using potassium simplex optimized medium (KSOM) to reach the blastocyst stage. The embryos were randomly allocated into three groups, each cultured in one of three dishes: a 60-mm culture dish, a microdrop dish, and an OIVC dish that we developed. Results: The OIVC dish effectively maintained the osmolarity of the KSOM culture medium over a 5-day period using only 2 mL of mineral oil. This contrasts with the significant osmolarity increase observed in the 60-mm culture dish. Additionally, the OIVC dish exhibited higher blastulation rates from two-cell embryos (100%) relative to the other dish types. Moreover, blastocysts derived from both PN zygotes and two-cell embryos in the OIVC dish group demonstrated significantly elevated mean cell numbers. Conclusion: Use of the OIVC dish markedly increased the number of cells in blastocysts derived from the in vitro culture of preimplantation mouse embryos. The capacity of this dish to maintain medium osmolarity with minimal mineral oil usage represents a breakthrough that may advance embryo culture techniques for various mammals, including human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer programs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.59 no.11
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• pp.24.1-24.14
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• 2017

Over the past decades, in vitro culture media have been developed to successfully support IVF embryo growth in a variety of species. Advanced reproductive technologies, such as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), challenge us with a new type of embryo, with special nutritional requirements and altered physiology under in vitro conditions. Numerous studies have successfully reconstructed cloned embryos of domestic animals for biomedical research and livestock production. However, studies evaluating suitable culture conditions for SCNT embryos in wildlife species are scarce (for both intra- and interspecies SCNT). Most of the existing studies derive from previous IVF work done in conventional domestic species. Extrapolation to non-domestic species presents significant challenges since we lack information on reproductive processes and embryo development in most wildlife species. Given the challenges in adapting culture media and conditions from IVF to SCNT embryos, developmental competence of SCNT embryos remains low. This review summarizes research efforts to tailor culture media to SCNT embryos and explore the different outcomes in diverse species. It will also consider how these culture media protocols have been extrapolated to wildlife species, most particularly using SCNT as a cutting-edge technical resource to assist in the preservation of endangered species.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1117-1123
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• 2009

This study investigated the effects of IGF-I and EGF on the development of blastocysts or hatched blastocysts during the in vitro culture of embryos from immature porcine oocytes. After the in vitro maturation and fertilization of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) and their culture in vitro in PZM3 medium, we examined the embryo development rate for 168 h. When different concentrations of IGF-I (0, 1, 10, 20 ng/ml) were supplemented to fertilized porcine embryos in vitro, there were no significant differences in cleavage rate, blastocyst development rate or blastocyst hatching rate among the treated groups. On the other hand, when different concentrations of EGF (0, 1, 10, 20 ng/ml) were supplemented to the in vitro culture medium, blastocyst development rate was highest in the group in which EGF was not supplemented and, specifically, it was higher than in the 20 ng/ml treatment group (p<0.05). When 10 ng/ml IGF-I and 1 ng/ml EGF were supplemented separately or simultaneously, there were no significant differences among the treated groups in blastocyst hatching rate and the number of cells in each condition. This study demonstrated that the addition of IGF-I and EGF into PZM3 medium did not enhance development of the blastocyst stage and total cell number in blastocysts.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 1999

To improve the efficiency of in vitro production of embryos with follicular oocytes in pig, the recovery rates, in vitro fertilization and development. The results obtained were as fellows: The number of oocytes recovered 37 ovary was 1,365 by aspiration, 1,884 by slicing and 3,830 aspiration post slicing, per ovary was averaged 103.5 aspiration post slicing than 30.7 by aspiration and 50.8 by slicing (P<0.05). The percentage of grade I and II oocytes recovered was 0.05∼0.2% and 1.7∼2.3% respectively(p<0.05). The fertilization rates of ejaculate and epididymis sperm was 83.0 and 83.1%. And cleavaged rate was 60.8 and 69.0% respectively(P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences between sperm sources. The clevage rates of fertilized oocyte was significantly(P<0.05) higher as B.O(92.8%) than TALP (90.1%) or mTBM (80.1%). And in vitro developed to blastocyst rates of mTBM media used for fertilization was significantly (P<0.05) higher as 12.4%, compared with the results using the media of TALP(1.6%) or B.O (0.0%). The embryos developed 2-cell stage after in vitro fertilization were co-cultured with or without POEC and BOEC in NCSU-23 and TCM-199 media. In vitro developed to blastocyst rates was NCSU-23 with POEC(2.3%) or BOEC(1.2%), but in vitro cultured in TCM-199 medium with POEC or BOEC was not developed to blastocyst. The percentage of embryos that developed to morula stage in 0, 50, 100, 200 and 250uM was 16.6, 22.0, 13.5, 19.0 and 22.0%, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 1991

This stduy was carried out in order to investigate the effects of concentration and equilibration time of cryoprotective agents on survival rate of slow and ultrarapidly frozen in vitro fertilized bovine embryos. In vitro fertilized bovine embryos, following dehydration by cryoprotective agents and sucrose, were slowly freezed(from 2$0^{\circ}C$ to -7$^{\circ}C$/-1$^{\circ}C$/min., from -7$^{\circ}C$ -35$^{\circ}C$/-0.2$^{\circ}C$/min. from -35$^{\circ}C$ to -38$^{\circ}C$/-0.3$^{\circ}C$/min.) by cell freezer and directly plunged into liquid nitrogen and thawed in 38$^{\circ}C$ water. Survival rate was defined by development rate to the morula and blastocyst stage after in vitro cultured and FDA test. The results are summarized as follows : 1. The survival rates of in vitro fertilized bovine embryos after slow frozen-thawing in the freezing medium of 0.25M sucrose added 2.5M glycerol, 3.0M DMSO, 2.0M propanediol and 2.5M glycerol＋2.0M propanediol were 84.3%, 85.9%, 77.8%, 74.3%, respectively. 2. The survival rates of in vitro fertilized bovine embryos after slow frozen-thawing in the freezing of 0.50M sucrose added 2.5M glycerol, 3.0M DMSO, 2.0M propanediol and 2.5M glycerol＋2.0M propanediol were 83.8%, 85.1%, 71.4%, 74.6%, respectively. 3. The survival rates of in vitro fertilized bovine embryos after ultrarapid frozen-thawing in the freezing of 0.25M sucrose added 2.5M glycerol, 3.0M DMSO, 2.0M propanediol and 2.5M glycerol＋3.0M propanediol were 69.3%, 70.8%, 63.2%, 67.1%, respectively. 4. The survival rates of in vitro fertilized bovine embryos after ultrarapid frozen-thawing in the freezing of 0.25M sucrose added 2.5M glycerol, 3.0M DMSO, 2.0M propanediol and 2.5M glycerol＋2.0M propanediol were 69.4%, 70.1%, 62.3%, 63.5%, respectively. 5. The survival rates of in vitro fertilized bovine embryos after slow and ultrarapid fromthawing in the freezing medium of sucrose added cryoprotective agents were not significant difference between 5min. and 10min. of equilibration time.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 1999

The objectives of the study were to establish sperm separation method and duration of insemination for bovine IVF. Oocytes from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured and fertilized using general protocol. After 18 or 42 h of insemination, six to ten embryos were placed into a 30${mu}ell$ drop of each medium, and the embryos were examined 7~10d post in semination without medium renewal. First, we compared Percoll gradient will swim-up technique for sperm separation. There was no difference in cleavage rates between them, but the development rates over morula stage of oocytes fertilized with sperm separated by Percoll gradient was significantly higher than that sperm selected by swim-up technique (p<0.05). Second, we evaluated development of bovine embryos derived from the IVF procedure with different durations(18 vs 42 h) of fertilization. There was also no difference in cleavage rates, but the development to blastocyst stage of oocytes exposed in cleavage rates, but the development to blastocyst stage of oocytes exposed to sperm for 42 h was significantly higher than that exposed for 18 h (p<0.05). In conclusion, Percoll gradient can be used for sperm selecton, improving of embryonic development. Also, 42h of IVF may improve the development of bovine embryos.