• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.143-148
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• 1995

To present and assess the efficacy of combination of microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration(MESA) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI) for the treatment of infertility due to unreconstructable obstructive azoospermia or congenital bilateral agenesis of vas deferens (CBAVD), MESA was performed in the 45 husbands ( 16 CBAVD, 29 unreconstructable genital tract obstruction), followed by ICSI of oocytes recovered from the wives hyperstimulated by GnRH agonist in combination with hMG and FSH. Cleaving embryos were transfered to the uterine cavity or follopian tube(ZIFT) 18 or 24 hours after ICSI procedure. In 45 cycles of MESA, 492 oocyte complexes were recovered. ICSI was carried out on 355 metaphase II oocytes and 226 oocytes (63.7%) showed normal two pronucleus fertilization. After 198 embryos were transferred in 43 cycles, an average of 5 per cycle, 20 patients presented a positive HCG and intrauterine pregnancy was confirmed by US. So, the clinical ongoing pregnancy rate per transfer was 46.5%. Until now, 8 patients have given birth to 9 babies, 5 male and 4 female, including 1 twin. The babies were all healthy except 1 twin female baby. There was 1 miscarriage at 7 weeks and chromosomal study of abortus revealed as 45X, monosomy. These results suggested that it was possible to achieve high normal fertilization and pregnancy rate by ICSI using epididymal sperm.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.77-81
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• 1984

Epididymal biopsy has been performed without consideration of the possibility of epididymal ductal severance and obstruction which result in obstructive azoospermia. An attempt was made to study the effect of the epididymal biopsy on the obstruction of the epididymal ducts. Bilateral epididymal biopsies were done in 8 healthy rabbits (New Zealand White strain) weighing over 3 kg, and then ejaculated semens have been analyzed 5 times every other week from 1 month after biopsies. Microscopic examination of the biopsied epididymides was also done after the 5th semen analysis. The results were as follows. 1. Semen analysis: 6 out of 8 rabbits showed azoospermia from the 4th semen analysis and 2 cases showed normal number of the sperms in the 5th semen analysis. 2, Microscopic examination: 6 cases of azoospermia showed complete obstruction of the biopsied sites of the epididymides, and abscence of sperms in epididymal ducts distal to the biopsied sites of the epididymides. However, recanalization of the epididymal ducts was noted in 2 cases showing normal sperm count. Therefore, it is concluded that the epididymal biopsy should be avoided in patients who want to be fertile, because it may cause the epididymal severance and obstruction of the epididymal ducts.

• 한국동물학회지
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.70-77
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• 1990

생쥐의 정자가 부정소에서 성숙하는 동안 Phosphatase 활성도의 변화를 알아보기 위하여 본 연구를 실시하였다. 효소의 활성도는 Ernst(1975)의 방법을 변용하여 측정하였으며 그 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 부정소으 두부내 정자와 미부내 정자으 단백질 함량은 각각 59.1 $\pm$8.4(mg/10 9 sperm), 14.0$\pm$12.3(mg/10 9 sperm)으로 나타났다. 기본 반응액에서 나타난 두부내 정자의 효소 활성도를 100%로 할 때, 미부내 정자의 활성도는 ALPase가 29.2%, ALPase가 44.9% 그리고 ALPase가 53.8%였으며, 초음파로 정자를 분쇄하였을 경우에 ALPase는 16.5%, ALPase는 33.3% 그리고 ALPase는 38.7%였다. 따라서 미부내 정자의 phoshatase 활성도는 두부내 정자에 비하여 현저히 감소하였다. 그리고 부정소의 미부내 정자에서 K+ -dependent ALPase와 ALPase의 활성도는 두부내 정자에 비하여 유의하게 감소하였으며, 초음파로 정자를 분쇄하였을 때 $Ca^2$+ -dependent phoshatase의 활성도는 유의하게 증가하였다. 이상의 결과로 보아 생쥐의 정자가 부정소에서 성숙하는 동안 phoshatase의 활성도가 감소하는 것은 성숙과정에서 정자가 수정능력을 획득하는 데 어떤 중요한 역할을 할 것으로 사료된다.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.279-284
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• 2009

This research aimed to investigate the time-course effect of epichlorohydrin (ECH) on epididymal histopathology in Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-four male rats were randomly assigned to four groups with 6 rats in each group and were administered a single oral dose of ECH (70 mg/kg) or its vehicle. Six animals each were sacrificed on days 0 (control), 1, 2, and 7 after treatment. During the study period, clinical signs, body weights, reproductive organ weights, testicular spermatid count, epididymal sperm count, motility and morphology, and histopathology were examined. No treatmentrelated effects on body weights and reproductive organ weights were noted at any time point. On the contrary, sperm motility decreased slightly on days 1 and 2 after treatment and then decreased significantly on day 7 after treatment. The first signs of histological changes were the appearance of cell debris in the ducts and vacuolization of the epithelial cells observed in the proximal caput epididymis on day 1 after treatment. The incidences and grades of the histological changes including cell debris in the ducts, epithelial vacuolization, oligospermia, and epithelial disruption increased on day 2 and then decreased slightly on day 7 after treatment. These results show that a single oral dose of 70 mg/kg ECH to male rats results in cell debris in the ducts and vacuolization of the epithelial cells in the proximal caput epididymis, followed by reversible oligospermia, epithelial disruption, and decreased sperm motility.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.87-93
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• 1999

생쥐 정자의 수정능력획득과 첨체반응에 작용하는 $Na^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter의 역할을 조사하고자 하였다. $Na^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter를 특이적으로 억제하는 dimethyl amiloride는 정자의 자발적인 첨체반응을 농도 의존적으로 억제한 반면 난포액 및 calcium ionophore인 A23l87에 의해 유도된 첨체반응은 억제하지 못하였다. 이러한 결과는 정자내 $Na^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter에 의한 1가이온의 출입과 이에 따른 세포질내 pH 조절이 정자의 수정능력 획득과 자발적인 첨체반응에 조절요인으로 작용함을 암시한다. 수정능력을 획득한 정자에서 난포액 등의 agonist 또는 A23l87에 의해 유도되는 첨체반응은 $Na^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter와는 무관하게 진행되는 것으로 사료된다.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.435-439
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• 2011

Sildenafil citrate (SIL) a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE5I) has been used for long time as a first line oral drug for erectile dysfunction. Though it has beneficial effects on erectile organ it also has some adverse effects in other cells and/or tissues related to reproductive system when exposed to longer duration. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the long term effect of SIL on sperm parameters in Wistar albino rat. The animals are divided into two groups, for group I - rats were treated with saline (vehicle alone) and group - II oral administration of 5 mg/kg b.w. of SIL was administrated orally once in a day for 120 days. At the end of the trial period animals were sacrificed and epididymal sperm were subjected to various analysis. Results showed significant reduction in sperm count, motility, viability and morphologically intact sperm in long term PDE5I exposed animals when compared to control. Acrosomal status and fertility test also showed significant reduction in long term PDE5I exposed animals. The present study clearly indicated that long term SIL has shown to induce alteration in sperm quality and quantity, leading to decline in fertility rate. Indicate that SIL impinge on spermatogenesis as well as epididymal function. Understanding the molecular down-stream events involved in long-term exposure to PDE5 inhibitor can be valuable to supervise on related infertility issues and to suggest corrective measures.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.269-277
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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 conducted to examine the effect of sperm factor on the IVF and IVD, and the effect of coculture with somatic cells on the IVD of embryos. Although the concentration of epididymal sperm for IVF did not affect on cleavage rate, but 5 x 105 sperm/mi showed the highest cleavage rate(48.7%) and the developmental potential of IVF oocytes from this concentration was also greatly higher (P$^{\circ}C$-stored sperm for l2hrs and the cleavage rate from fresh sperm was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that from frozen sperm, but the developmental potential after IVF was slightly high from the frozen sperm. The cleavage rate of IVF oocytes cocultured with oviductal epithelial cells and cumulus cells was 76.3% and 72.9%, respectively. There was no difference between two coculture systems but this rate was significantly higher(P<0.05) than that of medium alone(42.0%).

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.482-488
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• 2011

Cadmium (Cd) is well known as a spermatotoxic and gonadotoxic heavy metal ion. This study was performed to assess the possible protective effect of Enerbalance on Cd-induced spermiotoxicity and testicular damage. The control group received isotonic saline; Cd group received Cd (2 mg/kg BW per day) orally; extract-treated groups were orally administrated with Enerbalance (50 mg and 100 mg/kg BW per day) and Cd for 10 days. Morphological changes of testicular tissue, sperm characteristics, oxidative/antioxidative parameters from testis, and serum sexual hormone level were determined. Enerbalance was significantely increased sperm amount in cauda epididymis without changes of ratio of epididymis/body weight and testis/body weight. Cd caused a marked decrease in epididymal sperm concentration and chemotactic sperm motility, testicular superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), Enerbalance was significantly ameliorated loss of epididymal sperm concentration, sperm chemotactic motility, antioxidative parameters, and male hormone whereas decreased abnormal architecture by testis damage. Enerbalance was successfully attenuated these adverse effects of Cd and offers a dose-dependent protection. Our study demonstrated that Enerbalance could proffer a measure of protection against Cd-induced testicular damage and spermiotoxicity by possibly reducing oxidative stress and increasing the antioxidant defense mechanism in mice.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.69-75
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• 1995

The present study was carried out to establish several spermatotoxicity test methods. For this purpose we investigated following parameters in the fertility study of DA-125, a new anticancer agent, in rats: testicular spermatid counts, epididymal sperm counts, daily sperm production rate, sperm morphology, and serum testosterone concentration. Motility and velocity of sperms were also measured using non-treated rats. At 0.3 mg DA-125/kg, spermatids per 1g testis and daily sperm production rate per 1g testis were significantly decreased, when compared with those of control group. Several types of abnormal sperms, such as no head, pin head, double head, hook at wrong angle, no tail, and small sperm, were found in both treated and control groups at a low frequency. Serum testosterone concentration at 0.3 mg DA-125/kg was close to the control value. Sperm motility and velocity measured with non-treated rats were in a good agreement with the results of other investigators. In our study established spermatotoxicity test methods can be used as a tool not only for the close examination of the cause of drug- or chemical-induced infertility, but also for the effective evaluation of reproductive toxicity.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.117-124
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• 1997

Guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase (GAMT) catalyzes the last step of creatine biosynthesis and the resultant creatine plays an important role in cellular energy metabolism. GAMT is mainly found in liver, kidney as well as testis and epididymis. We have localized the site of creatine biosynthesis in mouse epididymis by immunoperoxidase staining of GAMT using anti-GAMT antibody. Gamt is extensively expressed in the microvilli of epididymal epithelial cells and also expressed weakly in the cyto plasm of the cells. The staining of GAMT was most prominent in the microvilli of proximal caput epididymis and the intensity was progressively diminished as the epididymal tubule proceeds toward caudal part. The result suggests that GAMT or Cr might be involved in sperm function and/or maturation process in epididymis.