• Development and Reproduction
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.139-143
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• 2014

Different with other fishes, the guppies (Poecilia reticulata) is ovoviviparity, which retain their fertilized eggs within the follicle throughout gestation. The synchronously growing diplotene oocytes store nutrients in droplets and yolk, before their maturation and fertilization. The lecithotrophic strategy of development entails the provisioning of embryos with resources from the maternal yolk deposit rather than from a placenta, it allows the extracorporeal culture of guppy embryo. Studies on their early development of live bearers like the guppy including lineage tracing and genetic manipulations, have been limited. Therefore, to optimize conditions of embryo in vitro culture, explanted embryos from pregnant females were incubated in embryo medium (L-15 medium, supplemented with 5, 10, 15, 20% fetal bovine serum, respectively). We investigated whether the contents of FBS in vitro culture medium impact the development of embryos, and whether they would hatch in vitro. Our study found that in 5% of FBS of the medium, although embryos developed significantly slower in vitro than in the ovary, it was impossible to exactly quantify the developmental delay in culture, due to the obvious spread in developmental stage within each batch of eggs, and embryos can only be maintained until the early-eyed. And although in culture with 20% FBS the embryos can sustain rapid development of early stage, but cannot be cultured for the entire period of their embryonic development and ultimately died. In the medium with 10% and 15% FBS, the embryos seems well developed, even some can continue to grow after follicle ruptures until it can be fed. We also observed that embryonic in these two culture conditions were significantly different in development speed, in 15% it is faster than 10%. But 10% FBS appears to be more optimizing condition than 15% one on development process of embryos and survival rate to larvae stage.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.8
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• pp.45-50
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• 1990

This study was carried out ot investigate the effects of fetal calf serum (FCS) and gonadotropins supplemented to the medium on maturation and fertilization in vitro of porcine follcular oocytes. Ovaries were obtained from gilts at local slaughter-house. Oocyte-cumulus complexes were recovered by puncturing the ovarian follicles(3~5 mm in diameter). The complexes from individual ovaries were pooled in a $0.4m{\ell}$ droplet of medium covered with paraffin oil, then washed twice in fresh droplet and cultured for 36hrs in culture media according to experimental conditions. Boar epididymal spermatozoa were capacitated by preincubation for 4hrs in m-KRB medium and the preincubated spermatozoa were insemenated in the fertilization medium containing the cultured oocytes. The results obtained in this study are summarized as follows: 1. The maturation rates of oocytes cultured in m-KRB and m-KRB supplemented to 10% FCS were 82 and 37%, respectively. When PMSG, hCG. and PMSGt hcG($10Iu/m{\ell}$) were added to the media supplemented to 10% FCS, the maturation rates were 66, 58 and 68%, respectively. 2. Expansion of cumulus cells was not occured in m-KRB and m-KRB supplemented to 10% FCS. However, when PMSG, hCG and PMSG+hCG($10Iu/m{\ell}$) were added to m-KRB supplemented to 10% FCS, the expansion rates of cumulus cell layers were 92, 13 and 91%, respectively. 3. When oocytes were mltured in m-KRB, the rates of penetration and formation of male pronucle: were 93 and 7%, respectively. By adding FCS and gonadotropin to m-KRB, the penetration and formation of male pronuclei were 100 80%, respectively.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.207-216
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• 1998

Certain types of somatic cells, as well as follicular cumulus cells associating with mammalian oocytes, are known to produce beneficial effects on in vitro fertilization and pre implantation development of mammalian eggs when they are present in oocyte culture medium. To investigate the nature of the effects of somatic cells, the resistance of mouse oocytes against chymotrypsin treatment was examined after culture within various cell conditioned media. When mouse oocytes matured for 17-18 hr in the presence of cumulus cells were treated with 1 % chymotrypsin, half of them remained still alive even after 240 min $(t_{50}>240.0)$. In contrast half of mouse oocytes cultured without cumulus cells underwent degeneration within 65.0 min $(t_{50}=65.0{\pm}13.2min)$ of the same treatment. To see if the effects were duc to the secretory products of cumulus cells, mouse cumulus cells were cultured for 20 hr in medium containing 0.4% BSA and the supernatant of culture medium (conditioned medium) was taken. After maturation in the cumulus cell conditioned medium, mouse oocytes exhibited $t_{50}=190.0{\pm}10.8$ min upon chymotrypsin treatment whereas half of oocytes cultured without conditioned medium degenerated within 25.5 min. Human granulosa cell conditioned medium gave similar effects such that oocytes matured in conditioned medium exhibited $t_{50}=183.3{\pm}19.1$ min while $t_50$ of control group oocytes was $60.0{\pm}6.8$ min, Oocytes matured in vero cell conditioned medium exhibited $t_{50}=196.7{\pm}8.8$ min. On the other hand, amniotic cell conditioned medium resulted in the chymotrypsin resistance of $t_{50}=80.0{\pm}8.4$ min which was not statistically different from the control value of $t_{50}=48.0{\pm}13.2$ min. Based upon these results, it is suggested that certain somatic cell types including cumulus cells might change the biochemical properties of mouse oocyte membrane during meiotic maturation as revealed by the enhanced resistance against chymotrypsin treatment. Such effects of somatic cells appear to be mediated via the secretory products rather than direct communication between somatic cells and oocytes.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.203-211
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• 2001

This study was carried out to determine sex of porcine embryos produced by in vitro fertilization. Porcine oocyte-cumulus complexes were cultured in BSA-free North Carolina State University (NCSU) 23 medium containing porcine follicular fluid (10%), cystein (0.1 mg/ml) and hormonal supplement (10 IU eCG and 10 IU hCG per ml) for 20~22 hrs. They were then cultured in the same medium but without hormonal supplement for additional 20~22 hrs. After culture, cumulus cells were removed and oocytes were co-incubated for 6 hrs with four different concentrations (5$\times$10$^4$, 2.5$\times$ 10$^{5}$ , 5.0$\times$10$^{5}$ and l0$\times$10$^{5}$ ) of porcine sperm. After fertilization, oocytes were transferred into NCSU 23 with 0.4% BSA medium. The cleavage and blastocyst formation rates were evaluated at 48 and 144 hrs, respectively. In this study, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine the sex of porcine embryos in the stage of blastocyst. The PCR was performed using a set of oligonucleotide primers (5‘-TCATGGACCAGGTAGGGAAT-3', 5’-GAAAGACACGTCCTTGGA GA-3') for 491 bp fragment of porcine male-specific DNA sequence. In the flour different sperm concentration (5$\times$10$^4$, 2.5$\times$10$^{5}$ , 5.0$\times$10$^{5}$ and l0$\times$10$^{5}$ ) for fertilization condition, the cleavage rate was 55.95, 67.88, 60.18 and 47.60%, respectivety, and the development rate of blastocysts was 16.03, 20.40, 21.41 and 12.37%, respectively. At 5.0$\times$10$^4$and 2.5$\times$10$^{5}$ of sperm concentrations per ml cleavage rate and development rate of blastocyst were higher than those of 5.0$\times$10$^4$and l0$\times$10$^{5}$ of sperm concentration (P<0.01). The male of porcine embryos was detected at 491 bp by PCR, and 18 of the 31 porcine blastocysts were the male (58.1%) and the rest 13 were the female(41.9%).

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate effects of L-ascorbic acid and selenium on maturation, fertilization, and development ablity of porcine follicular oocytes in vitro. When the follicular oocytes were cultured in the media containing 0, 62.5, 100 and 300 $\mu$M of L-ascorbic acid for 40~44h, the percentages of germinal vesicle breakdown were 86.8, 92.9, 91.7 and 92.6% respectively, and the nuclear maturation rates (M II) were 44.7, 57.1, 52.8 and 53.7%. The nuclear maturation rates of treated groups were significantly higher than those of non-treated group (p＜0.05). When the follicular oocytes were cultured at 0, 0.4, 0.8, and $1.5\mu$M of selenium for 40~44h, the nuclear maturation rates of treated groups were significantly higher than those of non-treated group (p＜0.05). The addition of L-ascorbic acid or selenium to the maturation medium, the incidence of male pronuclear formation was significantly increased (p＜0.05) and polyspermy rate was significantly decreased (p＜0.05). The addition of L-ascorbic acid or selenium to the maturation medium increased the clevage rate, morula and blastocyst rate (p＜0.05). These results suggested that the addition of L-ascorbic acid and selenium to maturation medium increase the nuclear maturation rates, male pronuclear formation and normal embryonic development: in porcine oocytes matured and fertilized in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.317-322
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• 1995

As a basic research for breeding new varieties, reciprocal -intergeneric crosses between Citrus junos and P.trifoliata were made. F$_1$ hybrid production using in vitro ovule culture, gametogenesis, and fertilization phenomena were investigated. Frequency of fruit set resulting from crossing of Citrus junos and Poncirus Trifoliata was 16.6% while that of Poncirus Trifoliata and Citrus junos was 11.7%. Callus formation occurred well when ovules at the 6th week after pollination were cultured on MT (Murashige and Tucker) medium supplemented with zeatin 0.5 mg/L and NAA 1.0 or 3.0 mg/L. Immature ovules developed into mature embryos of the MT medium supplemented with 2,4-D 0.1 or 3.0 mg/L. Immature ovules developed into mature embryos of the MT medium supplemented with 2,4 D 0.1 or 0.5 mg/L. The invitro germination rates of 20-week-old ovules set C. junos $\times$ P. Trifoliata and P. Trifoliata $\times$ C. junos were 54.5% and 48.6%, respectively. The emergence ratios of trifoliate hybrids obtained by C. junos $\times$ P. Trifoliata and P. Trifoliata $\times$ C. junos were 56.7% and 100%, respectively. The chromosome number of C. junos and P. Trifoliata was n = 9 or 2n = 18, and the sizes of their pollen grain were 33.75 $\mu$ and 25.0 $\mu$. The length and width of embryo sac in C. junos and P. Trifoliata were 69.38~79.23 $\mu$ and 27.50~38.56 $\mu$, and those of egg cells were 17.50~41.50 $\mu$ and 6.25~8.12$\mu$. Fertilization of C. junos and P. trifoliata terminated 72 h after pollination.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.612-616
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• 2004

This study was carried out to compare the semen characteristics, frozen-thawed sperm viability and testosterone concentration and in vitro fertilization (IVF) and development of in vitro matured pig oocytes between two Yorkshire boars. Semen and blood samples were collected once per week from October to November 2002 from two adult Yorkshire boars at 18 months of age with 170 kg body weight. Sperm were deep frozen in 5 ml maxi-straws with lactose-egg yolk and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (LEN) diluent and stored in liquid nitrogen. Blood samples were obtained at 10 a.m. by inserting a 21 gauge, hypodermic needle attached to 10 ml syringe into surface veins in the ear. The concentration of testosterone was determined by Competitive Enzyme Immunoassay. Ovaries were collected from prepubertal gilts at a local slaughter house. Cumulus oocyte complexes were aspirated from antral follicles (3 to 6 mm in diameter). The medium used for oocyte maturation was modified TCM 199. After about 22 h of culture, oocytes were cultured without cysteamine and hormones for 22 h at $38.5^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ in air. For IVF, one frozen 5 ml straw was thawed at $52^{\circ}C$in 40 sec and was diluted with 20 ml Beltsville thawing solution at room temperature. Sperm were washed 2 times in mTLP-PVA and inseminated without preincubation after thawing. Oocytes were inseminated with $2{\times}10^7$/ml sperm concentration. Oocytes were coincubated for 6 h in 500 ${\mu}$l mTBM fertilization medium. At 6 h after IVF, oocytes were transferred into 500 ${\mu}$l NCSU-23 culture medium for further culture of 48 and 144 h. There were no significant differences in the semen volume, motility, normal acrosome morphology and sperm concentration of raw semen between A and B of Yorkshire boar. However, motility and normal acrosome of boar A were higher than those of boar B at 0.5, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 h incubations of frozen-thawed sperm. Testosterone concentration (3.75 ng/ml) of boar A was higher than that (2.34 ng/ml) of boar B. The rate of blastocyst formation (15.1%) of boar A was higher than that (10.4%) of boar B. In conclusion, serum testosterone concentration of boar showed very important role for the frozen-thawed sperm viability and the blastocyst formation of pig oocytes matured in vitro.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 1998

The aim of these experiments was to investigate the effects of oviduct epithelial cells on bovine in vitro fertilization. Oviduct epithelial cell monolayers (OEC) on the 4-well dish were prepared according to general procedures. Monolayers were formed within 5days. The medium for OEC culture (TCM199 with 10% FBS) was replaced with IVF-TALP 2h before each experiment. Macromolecules/proteins from oviductal conditioned medium (OM) were recovered by ultrafiltration, which desalted and concentrated macromolecules greater than 5kDa, and this OM were added to W medium (experiment 1). The cleavage rate in OM+OEC group was significantly higher than in OM group (p〈0.01). In this experiment 2, oocytes were inseminated on OEC with sperm which had been pre-incubated with OEC for 0 or 4h before insemination. In this experiment, oocytes were exposed to sperm only 8 h for clarifying the effect. After insemination, oocytes were cultured in CRlaa. At 42 h post insemination, oocytes were denuded and examined for evidence of cleavage. The cleavage rates of oocytes which were inseminated with OEC treated sperm for 4 h were significantly higher than those of the other group (p〈0.01). In conclusion, sperm released from OEC have more fertilizing ability than those before attachment.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2007

In vitro development of porcine embryo is affected by culture condition. One possible factor is osmolarity of culture medium. 1his study examined whether high osmolarity of culture medium at the early culture stage improves development of preimplantation porcine in vitro fertilization (IVF) and nuclear transfer (NT) embryos. NT and IVF embryos were divided into three groups and the basic medium was PZM-3 ($250{\sim}270$ mOsmol, control group). The control group of embryos was cultured in PZM-3 for whole culture period. Other two groups of embryos were cultured in a modified PZM-3 with 0.05 M sorbitol or 0.05 M sucrose ($300{\sim}320$ mOsmol, sorbitol or sucrose group) for the first 2 days, and then cultured in PZM-3 for further culture. NT embryos cultured in sucrose group showed a significantly higher developmental rate to the blastocyst stage with a decreased apoptosis rate compared to the sorbitol (p<0.05). For IVF, sucrose group showed a significantly increased the blastocyst formation rate with a decreased apoptosis rate compared to the control (p<0.05). This study represents that the high osmolarity in the early embryo culture stage can enhance the in vitro development of porcine NT and IVF embryos to the blastocyst stage with reduced apoptosis of cells.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.235-241
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• 1994

The study was conducted to determine the optimal hormone and glucose levels during the in vitro culture of bovine oocytes matured and fertilized in vitro for blastocyst development. Oocytes matured in TCM 199 + 10% FCS + hormones and glucose were fertilized in vitro in a TALP medium with swim up separated and heparin-treated epididymal cauda spermatozoa. Oocytes were cultured for 2~5 days in synthetic oviduct fluid medium (SOFM) supplemented with 10% FGS and with different hormone and glucose levels, and further cultured 5 days same medium in SOFM. The results are summarized as follows : The in vitro maturation and penetration rates of porcine oocytes cultured in TCM 199 media containing PMSG, hCG, PMSG + hCG, hCG + $\beta$ estradiol, PMSG + $\beta$ estradiol 0 to20 hours after insemination were 88.0% and 81.8%, 82.6% and 68.4%, 80.0% and 75.0%, 80.0% and 65.0%, 77.3% and 64.7%, respectively. The in vitro maturation and penetration rates of porcine oocytes cultured in TCM 199 media containing PMSG, hCG, PMSG + hCG, hCG + $\beta$ estradiol, PMSG + $\beta$ estradiol 20 to 40 hours after insemination were 92.0% and 87.0%, 92.0% and 82.6%, 91.3% and 81.0%, 85.2% and 73.9%, 87.5% and 81.0%, respectively. The cleavage and in vitro developmental rates to blastocyst of porcine oocytes cultured in TCM 199 media containing 0.05 mM, 0.10 mM, 0.30 mM, 0.50 mM, 1.00 mM, and 3.00 mM glucose lelvels 0~3 days after insemination were 31.5~48.1% and 10.0~16.7%, respectively. The cleavage and in vitro developmental rates to blastocyst of porcine oocytes cultured in TCM 199 media containing 0.05 mM, 0.10 mM, 0.30 mM, 0.50 mM, 1.00 mM, and 3.00 mM glucose levels 4~8 days after insemination were 30.0~53.8% and 8.7~19.2%, respectively. The cleavage and in vitro developmental rates to blastocyst were higher in TCM 199 media containing various glucose levels 0~3 days after insemination than 4~8 days.