• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2005

Objective: This study was conducted to find an optimal condition for the vitrification of mouse morulae and expanded blastocysts. Materials and Methods: Mouse embryos were obtained at 2-cell stage and cultured to morula and expanded blastocyst stage in Human Tubal Fluid (HTF) medium supplemented with 10% Serum Substitute Supplement (SSS). The vitrification solutions used were EFS30, EFS35 and EFS40 that contains 30%, 35% and 40% ethylene glycol, respectively, with 18% ficoll and 0.5 M sucrose diluted in Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS) medium supplemented with 10% SSS. The vitrification procedure was performed in EFS solution with three steps, followed by thawing in 6 steps with 0.5 M sucrose, and then survival and hatching-hatched rate per embryos recovered were compared among six groups. Results: After 24 h culture in different vitrification and thawing solution, the survival rate of morula embryos was 94.1%, 85.4% and 59.7% for EFS30, EFS35 and EFS40 group, respectively. Hatching rate of morula embryos after 72 h culture was 30.6%, 25% and 11.3% for EFS30, EFS35 and EFS40 group, respectively. The survival rate of expanded blastocyst embryos after 24 h culture was 90.4%, 98.5% and 100% for EFS30, EFS35 and EFS40 group, respectively. Hatching rate of expanded blastocyst embryos after 48 h culture was 46.2%, 57.6% and 64.3% for EFS30, EFS35 and EFS40 group, respectively. Conclusion: The EFS30 solution was the best for vitrification of mouse morulae. The EFS40 solution was the best for vitrification of mouse expanded blastocysts. The mouse expanded blastocyst was better than mouse morula for vitrification of mouse embryos.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.108-108
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• 2003

The purpose of this is to investigate the effects of vitrification in open pulled straws (OPS) on in vitro survival of porcine embryos. Blastocysts were produced by in vitro fertilization of slaughterhouse-derived, in vitro matured oocytes with frozen-thawed boar semen, and subsequent culture on granulosa cell monolayer. After frozen-thawing, embryos were culture in NCSU-23 medium with 5 mM hypotaurine, 4 mg/$m\ell$ BSA and 10 ng/$m\ell$ for 48 hrs to survival tests. When blastocysts were frozen-thawed by OPS methods, the embryos with normal morphology were 32.1, 34.5 and 38.9 % in early blastocyst, blastocyst and expanded blastocyat stages. The rates of partial damaged embryos were significantly (P<0.05) higher in early biastocysts than expanded blastocysts. In another experiment, the embryos frozen by OPS methods were cultured for 48 hrs for survival and developmental rates in vitro. The proportions of embryos hatched were 11.8, 20.2 and 33.3% in embryos frozen-thawed at stages of early blastocyst, blastocyst and expanded embryos. On the other hand, The proportions of embryo with normal morphology after culture were 23.5, 25.0 and 33.3% in embryos frozen-thawed at stages of early blastocyst, blastocyst and expanded embryos. These finding indicate the possible broader application for OPS methods that this procedure described is relatively harmless, that it can be used for blastocysts of different developmental stages.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2005

The present study examines the effects of kinds and concentrations of cryoprotectants, PVP and sucrose and trehalose on the survival rate of vitrified porcine embryos. 1. The developmental stages for the embryos used in vitrification were $245(23.0\%)$ for 2 cell stage, $256(24.1\%)$ for the blastocyst, $234(22.0\%)$ for the early blastocyst $221(20.8\%)$ from the expanded blastocyst and $107(10.1\%)$ from hatching blastocyst out of 1,063 embryos. 2 The survival rate of morula, early blastocyst and expanded blastocyst vitrification-thawed with EDT and EGS were $69.1\%,\;70.3\%,\;69.8\%\;and\;62.5\%,\;61.7\%,\;63.6\%$, respectively. The expanded blastocyst treated with EDS showed the highest survival rate compared with the other cryoprotectants. 3. The survival rate of early blastocyst, expanded blastocyst and hatching blastocyst vitrification-thawed with EDS diluted in $medium + 10\%$ FCS were $61.1\%,\;27.8\%,\;16.7\%$, respectively. This result were love. than the control of group $(92.3\%,\;71.2\%,\; 55.8\%)$. 4. The survival rate of embryos vitrified with EDS and EDT supplemented with $10\%\;and\;20\%$ PVP were $74.3\%,\;77.5\%\;and\;79.4\%,\;71.1\%$, respectively. The survival rate of vitrified embryos cultured for $24\~48$ hours were $37.1\%,\; 40.0\%\;and\;35.3\%,\;31.6\%$ which were significantly lower than that of non-cultured embryos. The survival rate of embryos vitrified with EDS and EDT supplemented between $10\%\;or\;20\%$ PVP did not have a significant difference. 5. The survival rate of embryos vitrification-thawed with EDS to morula, early blastocyst, expanded blastocyst and hatching blastocyst were $58.2\%,\; 36.4\%,\;14.5\%$ to morula, $62.5\%,\;45.8\%,\;20.8\%$ to early blastocyst, $74.1\%,\;61.1\%,\;29.6\%$ to expanded blastocyst and $60.0\%,\;40.0\%,\;14.0\%$ to hatching blastocyst.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.443-451
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• 1997

These studies were conducted to determine the sex of preimplantation Hanwoo embryos produced in vitro using polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Y chromosome specific and bovine speicific DNA primers were synthesized and tested for embryo sexing. Bovine IVF embryos were produced in TCM 199 and CR1aa medium, and classified by developmental stages on Day 7 to 9. The effects of developmental rates to bovine IVF blastocysts on sex ratio were also investigated using PCR methods. The results obtained in this study were as follows; 1. Developmental rates to blastocyst from IVM/IVF embryos in TCM 199 and CR1aa medium for 9 days were 23.5 and 30.2%, respectively, and there was significant difference between the media(P<0.05). 2. Male to female ratio of early, mid, expanded and hatching balstocyst produced on Day 7 were 0.7:1, 1.4:1, 2.2:1, and 2.5:1, respectively, and male embryos was significantly higher proportion in expanding and hatching blastocysts(P<0.01). 3. On Day 8, male to female ratio of early, mid, expanded and hatching blastocysts were 0.6:1, 1:1, 2.5:1, and 2.7:1, respectively. Both expanded and hatching blastocysts obtained a significantly higher proportion of males(P<0.01). 4. The male : female ratio of early, mid, expanded and hatching blastocyst produced on Day 9 was 0.6:1, 0.8:1, 1:1, and 2.2:1, respectively. Hatching blastocysts had a significantly higher ratio of males(P<0.01). The developmental rate of IVM/IVF embryos to blastocyst for 9 day culture was higher in CR1aa than that in TCM 199 medium. For the sex ratio by developmental stages of IVF embryos, male ratio was higher in expanded blastocyst but female in early blastocysts.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.398-403
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• 1998

The objective of the present study was to examine the developmental rates, and the stage of development in relation to time since fertilization, of in vitro produced buffalo embryos. Buffalo cumulus-oocyte complexes obtained from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured and fertilized in vitro. The fertilized oocytes (n = 248) were then co-cultured with buffalo oviductal epithelial cells and evaluated for the developmental stages on Days 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 post-insemination. The peak of 4-cell stage embryos was observed on Day 2 (63.7 %), whereas Day 4 was marked by peaks of 6-8-cell stage embryos (20.9%) and 16-cell stage embryos to early morulae (50%). On Days 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 post-insemination, 49.5, 48.3, 38.3, 33.8 and 33.4% embryos were found to be at morula/compact morula stages, 8.8, 12.5, 25.4, 6.0 and 1.2% at early blastocyst/blastocyst stages, 0, 6.8, 7.2, 15.3 and 2.0% at expanded blastocyst stage and 0, 1.6, 4.8, 19.3 and 38.5% hatching/hatched blastocyst stages, respectively. The peaks of early blastocyst/blastocyst, expanded blastocyst and hatching/hatched blastocyst stages were observed on Days 8, 9 and 10, respectively. The percentages of oocytes which initially became arrested and subsequently degenerated were 3.6, 4.8, 10.4, 14.5, 21.3 and 24.5% on Days 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 post-insemination, respectively.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.253-257
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• 2009

To enhance the embryo preservation technology and better application of embryo transfer technique to the field (dairy science or animal reproduction. etc.), we examined the viabilities of bovine embryos produced in vitro and in vivo after cryopreservation according to their developmental stage and thawing temperature. Bovine embryos from in vivo/vitro fertilization (Hanwoo) were examined at day 7, 8, and 9. Survival rates and total cell numbers of in vivo fertilized embryos were as follows: morulae 68.8% and $67\;{\pm}\;6.0$; blastocysts 80.5% and $120\;{\pm}\;10$; expanded blastocysts 77.4% and $138\;{\pm}\;9.7$, respectively. Rates of embryo development for blastocysts and expanded blastocysts after thawing were significantly higher than that of morula stage embryos (p<0.05). While survival rates of in vitro fertilized embryos according to developmental stage showed no significant difference among groups (morula 67.9%; blastocyst 74.3%; and expanded blastocyst 79.4%), total cell numbers were significantly lower than those of other groups (morula $64\;{\pm}\;5.9$; blastocyst $116\;{\pm}\;8.7$; and expanded blastocyst $135\;{\pm}\;9.1$) For the viability according to thawing temperature, survival rate was higher in $37^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 1993

These experiments were carried out to determine the effect of pregnancy in bisected embryo. The embryos of ICR mouse were microsurgically bisected at morula and blastocyst stage using microsurgical blade attached a micromanipulator. These bisected embryos without zona pellucida were cultured up to blastocyst stage and cell count and diameter of stained blastomere, and transferred pseudopregnant mice. And the development of these bisected embryos was compared with the results of production of young of the corresponding intact embryos or cell stage. When the bisected mouse embryos were cultured in vitro for 20 to 24 hours in morula stage(77.2%) or 3 to 6 hours in blastocyst stage(84.1%), them were developed to the expanded blastocyst stage. There were no significant(P<0.05) differences in the development rate of bisected embryos between in morula and blastocyst stages. The embryo size of blastocyst developed in vitro from bisected embryo was small(P<0.05)than intact embryo. However, the number of blastomeres with bisected embryo (24.7+1.3and 21.5+1.2 respectively) were significantly(P<0.05) reduced, compared with that of intacted embryos(36.3+1.1 and 41.4+1.2 respectively). When compared with the result of pregnancy rate(63.6%) after surgical transfer of bisected morulae, a similar result(65.4%) was obtained with bisected blastocyst stage(P< 0.05). However, production of youngs (38.8%) after transfer of bisected morula, a similar result (38.1%) was obtained with bisected blastocyst stage (P<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.191-195
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• 1995

Bovine follicular oocytes were matured in vitro for 3D hr and exposed to Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline containing 7% ethanol for 7 minutes for their activation, and incubated in TCM199 containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) and cytochalasin D (CD). When the oocytes were exposed to cytochalasin D for 0, 5, 10 and 15 hr, 5 hr showed highest developmental rate to blastocyst (16%), expanded blastocyst (13%) and hatched blastocyst (7%). Also when the oocytes were cultured for 7 hours in medium contai ning 0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 ${\mu}\textrm{g}$/ml cytochalasin D, 2.5 ${\mu}\textrm{g}$/ml showed highest developmental rate to blastocyst (13%), expanded blastocyst (7%) and hatched blastocyst (4%). In conclusion, cytochalasin D played very important role for parthenogenetic development of follicular oocytes and 5 hr of exposure time to CD and 2.5 ${\mu}\textrm{g}$/ml CD in the medium was optimal for development of the follicular oocyte.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.219-230
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• 2000

This study was carried out to determine the factors on achieving good viability of embryos biopsied fur sexing, to investigate pregnancy rate following embryo transfer(ET) with sexed embryos, and to confirm the accuracy for the calves bort following ET with sexed embryos by polymerase chain reaction(PCR). To investigate viability of Hanwoo embryos after biopsy for sexing, fresh and frozen/thawed embryos were biopsied according to different developmental day of blastocysts, different stage of blastocysts, and different biopsy grade and the embryos themselves were incubated for 2 hours in TCM199 after microsection to be evaluated morphologically for recovery as blastocyst. The results obtained were as follows : 1. The rate of oocytes cleaved in vitro and the rate of blastocyst of the cleaved oocytes were 52.5% and 21.6%, respectively. The rate of blastocyst on day 8 was 11.2%, denoting the highest rate during whole culture period posterior to in vitro fertilization(IVF) 2. After biopsy for sexing, the viability rate of blastocyst on day 7, 8 and 9 was 75.0%, 88.4%, and 100.0%, respectively and the viability of early, mid, and expanded blastocyst after biopsy was 75.0%, 88.9%, and 91.1%, respectively The viability rate of fresh and frozen/thawed embryos was 89.9%, 71.4%, respectively. And the viability of expanded, hatching, and hatched blastocyst of frozen/thawed embryos was : 75.0%, 75.0%, and 50.0%, respectively. The viability of embryos according to biopsy grade of 10∼20%, 21∼30%, and 31∼40% was 85.7%, 91.5%, and 71.4%, respectively. 3. Pregnancy rate after transfer with biopsied embryo between flesh and frozen/thawed embryos was 22.6% and 20.0%, respectively. 4. In comparison between sex by PCR method and sex of calves born after embryo transfer, the accuracy of sex deterimination was 92.3% (12/13).

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.38-44
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• 1990

This study was carried out to produce superior dairy cattle by embryo transfer. Seven dairy cows were superovulated with divided injection of FSH 4Omg for 5 days started on day 9 to 14 of the estrus cycle and injection of PGF$_2$$\alpha$ 45mg on day 4 of FSH injection. Donor cows were flushed to collect embryos on day 7 or 8 of the estrus cycle. Fresh embryos collected were transferred to synchronized dairy recipients or frozen using glycerol 3 step method to he equilibrated. And 35 embryos which were frozen using glycerol 6 step method were imported from U.S.A. After glycerol dilution of frozen embryos was done by reverse density during freezing. frozen-thawed embryos were transferred to synchronized dairy or beef recipients. The results obtained were as follows; 1. Total of 24 embryos were collected from 7 donor cows flushed and transferable embryos were 18 (75.0%). 2. Among 24 embryos. morula, early blastocyst, blastocyst, expanded blastocyst and unfertilized ova were 3 (12.5%), 1 (4.2%), 10 (41.6%), 4 (16.7%) and 6 (25.0%), respectively. 3. Heat inducing rate after 1st and 2nd injections of PGF$_2$$\alpha$ in Holstein and beef cattle was 83.3% and 71.4% and 62.5% and 69.2%, respectively. 4. Among 56 recipients, 23 head were pregnant (41.1%). The pregnancy rate of fresh embryos was 50.0% (1/2 heads) and the pregnancy rate of frozen embryos which were frozen using glycerol 3 step and using glycerol 6 step imported from U.S.A. was 52.6%(l0/19 heads) and 34.3%(12/35 heads), respectively. 5. The pregnancy rate of blastocyst (60.0%) was higher than that of morula (39.0%), early blastocyst (25.0%) and expanded blastocyst (0%). 6. The pregnancy rate of grade I embryos (52.2%) was higher than that of grade 2 (34.6%) and grade 3 (28.6%). 7. The pregnancy rate according to synchrony of recipient with donor was higher in simultaneous recipient (55.0%) and +l2hrs' (53.8%) than -24hrs' (23.5%), -l2hrs' (20.0%) and +24hrs' (0%).