• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.211-217
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• 1986

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of FSH on in vitro maturation and in vitro fertilizing ability of oocytes recovered from normal follicles of different sizes in superovulated rabbits. Follicular oocytes recovered were cultured in modified Ham's F12 medium containing 0, 0.1, 1.0 and 10$\mu\textrm{g}$ FSH/ml for 18 hours and investigated the degree of cumulus cells expansion and nuclear maturation, which were fertilized with in vivo capacitated rabbit sperm. 1. The number of normal follicles<1.5mm, 1.6 to 2.5mm and> 2.5mm in diameter at 16 to 18hrs after HCG administration was 4.8 (38.8%), 5.5(45.4%) and 3.3(15.8%), respectively. Average percent of oocytes recovered was 69.7% and larger follicles tended to have a higher percent, recovery rate than smaller follicles. 2. The degree of cumulus expansion in medium containing 0.1$\mu\textrm{g}$ FSH/ml was similar to that of control, but markedly decreased under the level of above 1$\mu\textrm{g}$ FSH/ml. The proportions of oocytes which reached the second meiotic metaphase were 57.1, 61.5, 43.8 and 45.0% in medium containing 0, 0.1, 1.0 and 10$\mu\textrm{g}$ FSH/ml, respectively. Oocytes from larger follicles showed a higher nuclear maturation than that from smaller follicles. 3. In vitro fertilization rate of oocytes matured under 1$\mu\textrm{g}$ FSH/ml was slightly, not significant, higher than that of others. 4. Progesterone level in follicular fluid was about 67 to 71ng/ml with no difference in follicular sizes and estradiol-17$\beta$ level was under 25pg/ml.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.285-297
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• 1995

The mammalian oviduct is a place where ontogeny of an animal begins. Nowadays, however, it is possilbe to manipulate a part of physiological events occurring in the oviduct so that fertilization of gametes and early embryonic development of zygotes could proceed outside oviductal environment. Rabbit zygotes readily develop to blastocysts in a conventional culture condition. Most of the mouse fertilized eggs do so when cultured under a specific environment, e.g., in a medium containing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid. Similarly, a significant number of zygotes from rat, sheep, pig or cattle can develop to blastocysts if they are cultured in the presence of particular component which appear to be somewhat species-specific. Instead of changing the components of medium, somatic cells including oviductal epithelial cells, have widely been used to improve mammalian embryonic development in vitro. Many investigators have reported that mammalian zygotes, whether fertilized in vivo or in vitro, could develop to blastocysts when they were cultured on a monolayer of various kinds of somatic cells or even in a somatic cell-conditioned medium. While little is known about the nature of embryotrophic factor(s) produced in vitro by somatic cells, the existence fo oviduct-specific protein(s) has consistently been demonstrated in many laboratories. Some of these proteins are reported to be associated with oviductal eggs. However, the physiological role of these proteins has still to be determined. Recently we observed that the perivitelline space of mouse oocytes was fluorescently stained with various fluorochrome-protein conjugates following ovulation into the oviducts or upon their expossure to oviductal extracts. Furthermore, it was also found that cattle or pig oviductal fluid gave similar results when examined using mouse ghost ZP. These observations lead to suggest that mammalian oviduct induces changes of biochemical properties of oocytes. Further studies are needed to clarify the nature of oviductal factor(s) and the physiological meaning of the reaction.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 1989

These experiments were carried out to obtain the basic information for in vitro fertilization and development of bovine follicular oocytes matured in vitro. The bovine ovaries were obtained at a slaughter house and the follicular oocytes surrounded by cumulus cells were collected by puncturing follicles with 2-6mm of diameter. Bovine oocytes were matured in vitro for 24-26 hours in a CO2 incubator with 5% CO2 in air at 39$^{\circ}C$. The medium used for maturation was TCM199 supplemented with hormones, pyruvate, FBS and antibiotics. Epididymal spermatozoa were capacitated by in vitro culture for 2-3 hours in BO solution containing bovine serum albumin(5mg/ml) and caffein(2.5mM). Insemination was made by introducing about 10-15 matured oocytes into the suspension of capacitated spermatozoa. Six hour after inseminatin the eggs were transferred to TCM 199 supplemented with FBS(10%) for in vitro development. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows : 1. The maturation rate of oocytes following incubation for 24-26 hours was 78.4%(228/291). 2. Of total 250 oocytes, 172 embryos extruded 2nd polar body following in vitro culture with spermatozoa for 20 hours, and the rates of embryos developed to 2-, 4-, 8-, 16-cells and morula or early blastocyst were 64.0, 39.2, 22.0, 15.2 and 11.2%, respectively. 3. The time needed for development to 2-, 4-. 8-, 16-cell stage and morula was 42.5$\pm$5.4, 58.0$\pm$9.2, 74.4$\pm$11.5, 96.1$\pm$13.4 and 119.0$\pm$18.2 hours, respectively.

• 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.10 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 1995

This study was carried out to investigate On in vitro fertilization, survival rate and developmental rate of rapidly frozen bovine immature oocytes. Immature oocytes cultured for 1, 12, 24, 48 hours in 20% FCS + TCM-199 medium and thereafter rapidly freezing-thawed oocytes inseminated with capacitated sperm. The immature oocytes following dehydration by 1.5M DMSO + 2.0M glycerol + 0.25M sucrose + TCM 199 media + 20% FGS were directly plunged into liquid nitrogen and thawes in 3$0^{\circ}C$ water. Rapid freezing embryos co-cultured in 20% FCS + TCM-199 media containing hormones(21U/mL PMSG, 21U /mL hGG and 1 $\mu$g /mL 17$\beta$-estradiol) and cumulus cells(1 x 105-6 cells). Survival rate was defined as development rate on in vitro culture or FDA-test. The results are summarized as follows ; 1. The in vitro maturation and fertilization rate of immature bovine oocytes on in vitro maturation period(1, 12, 24, 48 hrs) before rapid freezing4hawed were 57.1%, 45.7%, 37.1%, 25.7% and 40.0%, 31.4%, 20.0%, 11.4%, respectively. 2. The survival rate of immature bovine oocytes on in vitro maturation period(1, 12, 24, 48 hrs) before rapid freezing-thawed were 33.3%, 26.7%, 20.0%, and 10.0%, respectively. The survival rate of rapid freezing4hawed immature oocytes was significantly lower than that of non-freezing oocytes. 3. The survival rate of rapid freezing4hawed excellent and good bovine embryos co-cultured in 20% FCS + TCM-199 media containing hormones(PMSG, hCG, 17$\beta$-estradiol) and cumulus cells 4 to 5 hrs and 20 to 24 hrs were 35.0%, 15.0% and 25.0%, 15.0% and 40.0%, 20.0% and 30.0%, 15.0%, respectively. The survival rate of embryos co-cultured in TCM-199 media containing hormones and cumulus cells was significantly higher than that of non co-culture.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2004

This study was aimed at testing the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes for in vitro culture in porcine embryos produced by in vitro maturation/in vitro fertilization (IVM/IVF). Pocine preimplantation embryos obtainted from IVM/IVF can be successfully culture in vitro, but they are delayed or stop to develop at specific developmental stage. Many factors such as reactive oxygen species and apoptosis in an IVM/IVF system followed by in vitro culture influence the rate of production of viable blastocysts. Porcine embryos derived from IVM/IVF were cultured in the atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$ and 20% $O_2$ at $38.5^{\circ}C$ in NCSU23 medium. The patterns of gene expression for antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes during in vitro culture in pocine IVM/IVF embryos were examined by the modified semi-quantitative single cell reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Porcine embryos produced by in vitro procedures were expressed mRNAs for CuZn-SOD, GAPDH and GPX, whereas transcripts for Mn-SOD and catalase were not detected at any developmental stages. Expression of caspase-3 mRNA was detected at 2 cell, 8 cell 16 cell and blastocyst, but p53 mRNA was not detected at any stages. The fas transcripts was only detected in blastocyst stage. These results suggest that various antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis genes play crucial roles in vitro culture of porcine IVM/IVF embryos.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.351-358
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• 2007

Carbohydrate-protein interactions are known to be important in gamete interactions. Several evidence indicated that a fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharide fucoidan was potential inhibitor of fertilization in vitro and thus fucose seemed to be part of the recognition signal of gamete interaction in mammals. In recent investigation we found that ${\alpha}$-L-fucosidase activity was present in boar spermatozoa and it was related to sperm binding to and penetration into zona pellucida (ZP) in vitro. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of monosaccharide L-fucose and polysaccharide fucoidan on sperm ${\alpha}$-L-fucosidase activity and relation to sperm-oocyte interaction in pig. Results indicated that the activity of sperm ${\alpha}$-L-fucosidase was largely inhibited (62%) when sperm suspension was treated with monosaccharide L-fucose. It also significantly inhibited the number of sperm binding to ZP (32%) and penetration into zona-intact oocytes (72%), but did not inhibit penetration into zona-free oocytes when fertilization medium contained L-fucose. The chlorotetracycline (CTC) assessment showed that L-fucose did not affect induction of sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction. In contrast, the activity of sperm ${\alpha}$-L-fucosidase was not inhibited when sperm suspension was treated with polysaccharide fucoidan but sperm-ZP binding was greatly inhibited (85%) and completely blocked sperm penetration into zona-intact or zona-free oocytes. The CTC assessment showed that fucoidan increased the F pattern and decreased the AR pattern sperm. These results suggested that the different inhibitory mechanisms were present between monosaccharide L-fucose and polysaccharide fucoidan on sperm-oocyte interaction, the inhibition effect of ${\alpha}$-L-fucose on sperm binding and penetrating into ZP caused sperm ${\alpha}$-L-fucosidase inhibited by ${\alpha}$-L-fucose.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.57-68
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• 1993

This stduy was carried out to find a reliable method for the production of in vitro fertilized embryos having more excellent development capacity and freezability in the rabbit and cattle. The greatest number of rabbit oocytes was recovered 6hrs after HCG injection(P<0.05). The maturation rate in vitro was slightly higher in the oocytes(6-h-oocytes) from 6h than those (8-h-oocytes)from 8 hrs after HCG injection and the beneficial effect of FSH during oocyte maturation was significantly great in the oocytes from large follicles. The cleavage rate into 2-to-6-cell stage was not differ between the 6-h-oocytes and 8h-oocytes, but the cleavage of these oocytes was greatly promoted by FSH addition to maturation medium and the cleavge of 8-h-oocytes matured without FSH was significantly low. The embryo development into 16-cell to morula was not promoted by the co-culture with rabbit oviduct epithelial cells. The freezability by embryo stages was ovidusly high at 4-cell and morula stage in 6-h-oocytes and the viability of 16-cell embryos from 8h-oocytes was similar to that of morula stage. The implantation sites after surgical tranfer of fresh rabbit embryos were not implanted. In bovine experiment, the in vitro development into 16-cell and morula after in vitro maturation and fertilization in the follicular oocytes was slightly improved by the co-culture with granulosa cells compared to that with oviduct epithelial cells and the frozen-thawed viability rate of these embryos ranged from 14 to 40%. The excellent fresh embryos were transferred nonsurgically to 6 recipients, but were not pregnant.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.337-342
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• 2017

The present study was aimed to determine the effects of green tea extract (GTE) and beta-mercaptoethanol (${\beta}-ME$) supplementation in boar sperm freezing extender on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) levels of presumptive zygotes (PZs). Experimental groups were allocated into lactose egg yolk (LEY) without antioxidant (control), GTE (1,000 mg/l in LEY) and ${\beta}-ME$ ($50{\mu}M$ in LEY). In freezing, spermatozoa extended with LEY were cooled to $5^{\circ}C$ for 3 h and then kept at $5^{\circ}C$ for 30 min following dilution with LEY containing 9% glycerol and 1.5% Equex STM. The final sperm concentration was $1{\times}10^8/ml$. Spermatozoa were loaded into straws and frozen in nitrogen vapor for 20 min. For IVF, oocytes were matured in NCSU-23 medium and co-cultured with spermatozoa following thawing at $37^{\circ}C$ for 25 sec. At 12 h following IVF, IVF parameters (sperm penetration and monospermy) were evaluated. In addition, GSH and ROS levels of PZs were determined by Cell Tracker Blue CMF2HC and DCHFDA, respectively. IVF parameters did not show any significant difference among the experimental groups. GSH and ROS levels of PZs were not significantly different between groups. In conclusion, antioxidant supplementation in boar sperm freezing could not influence IVF parameters, ROS and GSH levels of PZs.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.201-205
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• 2005

The objective of this study was to investigative the effects of amino acids supplementation on maturation, fertilization and embryo development of pig oocytes. Essential amino acids (EA), non-essential amino acids (NA) or both amino acids (EA + NA) were supple-mented to North Carolina State University (NCSU) 23 medium containing porcine follicular fluid (pFF). When the amino acids were supplemented to the maturation medium, the maturation rates were higher (p<0.05) in the NA group than control ($83.3{\pm}0.04\%\;versus\;70.0{\pm}0.05\%$, but the subsequent cleavage rates and development to morula and blstocyst stage between aminoacid supplement groups and control were not different. The developmental rates to morula and blastocysts stage were not significantly different regardless of amino acid supplementation to culture medium. In addition, supplementation of amino acids did not significantly affect the rate of fertilization and polyspermy. When the amino acids were supplement to culture medium, the number of trophectodermal (TE) cells was significantly (p<0.05) higher in amino acid supplement group than that of control ($18.6{\pm}0.5\;versus\;16.1{\pm}0.6$), whereas the numbers of inner cell mass (ICM) cells were not different among the treaonent groups and control ($29.0{\pm}0.9\~31.5{\pm}1.2$). Total cell number was also significantly (p<0.05) higher in EANA group ($50.0{\pm}1.0$) than that of control group ($44.2{\pm}1.1$). These results indicate that the amino acid supplementation to maturation and culture medium may not significantly stimulate early embryo development, but may improve the TE cell number of blastocyst stage in the pig.