• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 1993

This study was designed to develop the in vitro culture systemof mammalian preimplantation embryos. We proposed mouse fetal fibroblast cells (MFFC) from 14∼15 day mouse fetus. Zygotes from superovulated female ICR mice were cultured 96 hrs in simple defined media (T6) or on the monolayer of MFFC. In addition, to evaluate the action of the co-culture of MFFC, various diluted superoxide dismutase antibody (SOD-Ab) was supplemented into the monolayer of MFFC and zygotes were cultrued in presence or absence of SOD-Ab. The developmental rates of zygotes were significantly increased in co-culture with MFFC compared to the control. The rates of zygotes to the 4-cell stage in media treated with EDTA were higher than those cultured in MFFC but the proportions of morula and blastocyst were not differ between EDTA and MFFC. Interestingly blastocysts in co-culture with MFFC possessed as many as blastomere as those developing in vivo, but blastocysts cultured with EDTA had significantly fewer blastomeres. In addition, the treatment of SOD-Ab suppressed the beneficial effect of MFFC. Therefore, our findings suggest that co-cultrue system using MFFC may have an advantage in the development of mouse zygotes as well as embryonic differentiation.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.191-199
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• 2004

This study was conducted to examine in vitro development of porcine embryos constructed by the microinjection of cultured fetal fibroblast cells into porcine oocytes matured in vitro. Single fetal donor cells were deposited into the perivitelline space of enucleated oocytes, followed by electrical fusion and activation. Activated embryos were cultured in NCSU-23 medium supplemented with 5％ FBS, at 38.5$^{\circ}C$ for 6 to 8 days in 5％ $CO_2$ and air. In experiment 1, fusion rates of nuclear transfer embryos did not differ for fetal fibroblast cells incubated in 5％ FBS + NCSU-23 or 5％ FBS + TL Heaps medium, nor did fusion rates of donor cells differ between 1-8 hr incubation durations. Fusion rates for the four treatment subclasses ranged from 72.1％ to 78.0％. In experiment 2, Pre-synchronization in medium containing 0.1 $\mu\textrm{g}$/m Hoechst 33342 an increase from 0 and 8 versus 15 h culture an increased percentage of porcine fibroblast cells in G2/M at the end of the synchronization period (12.4％, 17.5％ and 47.6％). Neither an increase in the concentration of H 33342 (0.2-1.6 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$) nor a longer exposure time (12h, 18h and 24h) increased the proportion of porcine G2/M fibroblasts. In experiment 3, fusion rates did not differ significantly far nuclear transfer embryos constructed using donor cells cultured in 5％ FBS + NCSU-23 medium for 1-2, 6-8 or 12-14 days (60.0％, 73.3％ and 62.5％), respectively. The cleavage rate for nuclear transplant embryos using fetal fibroblast cells cultured for 1-2 days was 44.0％, significantly less than 56.7％ and 50.0％. for 6-8 or 12-14 days duration of culture, respectively. In experiment 4, the proportions of nuclear transfer embryos that developed to the $\geq$2 cell and to the blastocyst stage were not affected significantly by culture medium (5％ FBS + NCSU-23 or 5％ FBS + TL-Heaps) or by $O_2$ concentration of the culture (5％ vs 10％). Rates of development to the $\geq$2 cell stage ranged from 65.9％ to 70.1％, and development rates to the blastocyst stage ranged from 9.8％ to 12.5％ for the four treatment subclasses. Developmental rate was highest for embryos cultured in 5％ FBS + NCSU-23 under a gas atmosphere of 5％ $O_2$ in air.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.64-64
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• 2001

To facilitate the widespread application of somatic cell cloning, improvements in blastocyst production efficiency and subsequent fetal viability are required. Area where technical improvements are needed include donor cell treatments, starvation and passage numbers. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of serum-starvation and passage on the development of ear skin fibroblast cells cloned embryos. A skin biopsy was obtained from the ear of a 2-year-old Korean Hanwoo female. The cells were cultured in 10% FBS＋DMEM up to 2-3 months(up to 10 passages) and then used. In Experiment 1, the Korean bovine Ear Skin Fibroblast cells (KbESF) were either serum starved (culture in 0.05% FBS＋DMEM) or serum fed (10% FBS＋DMEM) for 4-7 days Prior to NT In Experiment 2, the KbESF cells used for nuclear transfer in these experiments were from passages 2 to 10. The development of 208 nuclear transfer (NT) embryos reconstructed from either serum starved or serum fed ear skin fibroblast was assessed. NT embryos reconstructed from serum starved and serum fed cells showed the same developmental rate (cleavage 80.16 vs. 85.37%; blastocyst 20.63 vs. 19,51%). The development of 590 nuclear transfer (NT) embryos reconstructed from passage 2 to 10 was assessed. We observed the same developmental rates for embryos derived from later Passages as compared with those embryos from early passages(blastocyst from 16.69 to 27.91%, average 20.17%). There was no significant difference between serum-fed and serum-starved donor cells. We observed no difference in developmental rates for embryos derived from 2 to 10 passages. These data show that prolonged culture and serum starvation does not affects the cloning competence of adult somatic cells.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2000

This study was conducted to investigate the developmental potential of cloned embryos derived from bovine fetal fibroblast cells, and the effect of quiescent treatment, passage number and origin of donor cells on in vitro development of cloned embryos. Fetal skin and liver-derived fibroblast cells were transferred to enucleated oocytes after serum starvation or nontreatment (cycling). After electrofusion. reconstituted embryos were activated with $Ca^{＋＋}$-ionophore and cycloheximide, and cocultured for 7~9 days with BRL cells. Some blastocysts were transferred to recipient cows 7~8 days post estrus. The development rate to the blastocyst stage of serum starved cell-derived embryos was higher (25.3%) than that of actively dividing cells-derived embryos (15.9%), The rates of blastocyst formation were 23.1~25.0% after transfer of cell passaged 4 to 6 times, and 23.8 and 25.2% after transfer of fetal skin and liver cells, respectively. After embryo transfer, 34.4% and 15.6% of recipient cows were pregnant on Day 60 and 120, respectively, and one male calf was produced from skin-derived vitrified blastocyst. The result of this study showed that the development of cloned embryos. was enhanced by quiescent treatment, but did not different among the cells passaged 4 to 6 times, and between skin and liver cells. This result also confirms that offspring can be obtained from the vitrified clone embryo derived from fetal skin cell.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.133-147
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• 2005

Objectives: This study was carried out to establish human embryonic stem cells derived from frozen-thawed embryos using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (mEFs), human fetal skin and muscle fibroblasts as feeder cells, and to identify the characteristic of embryonic stem cells. Methods: When primary mEFs, human fetal skin and muscle fibroblasts were prepared, passaging on 4 days from replating could have effective trypsinization and clear feeder layers. Eight of 23 frozenthawed 4~8 cell stage embryos donated from consenting couples developed to blastocysts. Inner cell mass (ICM) was isolated by immunosurgery. ICM was co-cultured on mEFs, human fetal skin or muscle fibroblasts. The ICM colonies grown on mEFs, human fetal skin or muscle fibroblasts were tested the expression of stage specific embryonic antigen-3, -4 (SSEA-3, -4), octamer binding transcription factor-4 mRNA (Oct-4) and alkaline phosphatase surface marker. Results: We obtained 1 ICM colony from 2 ICM co-cultured on mEFs as feeder cells and did not obtain any ICM colony from 6 ICM clumps co-cultured on human fetal skin or muscle fibroblasts. The colony formed on mEFs could be passaged 30 times every 5 days with sustaining undifferentiated colony appearance. When the colonies cultured on mEFs were grown on human fetal skin or muscle fibroblasts, the colonies could be passaged 15 times every 9 days with sustaining undifferentiated colony appearance. The colonies grown on mEFs and human fetal fibroblasts expressed SSEA-4 and alkaline phosphatase surface markers and positive for the expression of Oct-4 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The produced embryoid body differentiated spontaneously to neural progenitorlike cells, neuron-like cells and beating cardiomyocyte-like cells, and frozen-thawed embryonic stem cells displayed normal 46,XX karyotype. Conclusions: The human embryonic stem cells can be established by using mEFs and human fetal fibroblasts produced in laboratory as feeder cells.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.22-22
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• 2001

To produce reconstituted rabbit embryos with fetal fibroblasts, the present study was evaluated the efficiencies of the different fusion and activation conditions as assessments of subsequent development and chromosome in the embryos. New Zealand White rabbits were used throughout the study. Fetal fibroblasts collected from 22-d of fetuses were cultured in DMEM ＋ 10% FBS in 5% $CO_2$ in air. The culture was maintained for 10 passages. In every passage half of cell suspension were kept In frozen. From rabbits treated with FSH in 30% PVP solution and hCG, oocytes were surgically collected from oviducts at 14 h post-hCG injection and stripped off their cumulus cells by re-pipetting in a 300 IU hyaluronidase solution. Oocytes with an extruded first polar body and dense cytoplasm were enucleated by micromanipulation in Ham's F-10 medium＋7.5 g/$m\ell$ cytochalasin B. Euncleation was confirmed under a fluorescence microscope after staining with 5 g/$m\ell$ bisbenzimide for 2 min. Each enucleated oocyte was injected with a fetal fibroblast into a perivitelline space. Reconstructed eggs were compared fusion rates either at 2.0 ㎸/cm or 1.6 ㎸/cm(60 sec, double pulses). After fusion, all eggs were activated with the combination of 5 M ionomycin (5 min) and 10 g/$m\ell$ cycloheximide (CHX, 3h), and cultured in CRlaa medium and transferred into TCM199＋10% FBS on day 3. Although there was not significantly differ in fusion rate between treatments (60%, 2.0 ㎸/cm vs. 79.4%, 1.6 ㎸/cm), none of them in the eggs fused with 2.0 ㎸/cm developed to blastocyst. In comparison of development and chromosome status between different activation treatments (Group 1; 5 M ionomycin/10 g/$m\ell$ CHX, Group 2; 5 M ionomycin/5 g/$m\ell$ CHX ＋ 2 mM DMAP after fusion with 1.6 ㎸/cm), there were not differ in cleavage and development rates (67.3% and 28.9% in Group 1; 67% and 33% in Group 2). All out of 8 embryos evaluated in Group 1 appeared a normal diploid chromosome sets and mean number of cells (Mean SEM) on day 4.5 of culture was 141.5 23.15 (n=8). It can be concluded that the use of cycloheximide has not happened in chromosome abnormalities, and fetal fibroblasts can be used for cloning in rabbit.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.107-111
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• 1999

The present study was performed to evaluate the best electric fusion condition in nuclear transfer, Korean Native Cattle fibroblasts were used as nucleic donors. Oocytes from slaughterhouse were matured in vitro for 22 h and enucleated. Each individual cells were transferred into enucleated ocytes and reconstructed embryo were placed into the fusion chamber. In experiment 1, pulse were performed by altering pulse duration at 1. 75kv/cm, 1 time. When pulse duration is 30$mutextrm{s}$, fusion and development rates is higher than other conditions. In experiment 2, the effect of different pulse number were studied at the pulse duration 30$mutextrm{s}$ and the same pulse intensity. When pulse number was one, fusion rates were higher than other conditions. The fused embryos were moved to culture medium and assessed their development to blastocyst. These results showed that best fusion condition was 30$mutextrm{s}$ and one time. And the fibroblasts derived from Han Woo can be reprogrammed by nuclear transplantation and develop subsequently in vitro.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.363-368
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• 2005

It was assumed that the effect of estrogen on wound healing would be variable according to patient's gender and age since estrogen is a sex steroid. This study was designed to determine the variability of the effect of estrogen on proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts and collagen synthesis which are most important in wound healing considering patient's gender and age. Fibroblasts were isolated from the dermis of female patients in premenstrual, menstrual, or postmenopausal age group and that of male patients. The isolated fibroblasts were cultivated in the presence of estrogen($1.0{\mu}g/ml$). The cells were seeded at $5.0{\times}10^3cell/well$ in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium/Ham's F-12 nutrient including 5% fetal bovine serum in 96-well plates. The cells were incubated for 3 days. For fibroblast proliferation MTT assay method was used. To measure the production of collagen, the collagen type I carboxy- terminal propeptide enzyme immunoassay was carried out. Estrogen stimulated the proliferation of fibroblasts in female patients, but not in male patients. The greatest cell proliferation and collagen synthesis was seen at women in menstrual and postmenopausal age. These results demonstrated that effects of estrogen on dermal fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis were variable with gender and age.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.69-69
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• 2001

The cell cycle phase in which donor nuclei exist prior to nuclear transfer is an important factor governing developmental rates of reconstituted embryos. It was suggested that quiescent G0 and cycling G1 cells could support normal development of reconstituted embryos. In a quest of optimized donor nuclei treatment prior to nuclear transfer, this study was undertaken to examine the cell cycle characteristics of bovine fetal and adult somatic cells when cultured under a variety of culture treatments and the cell cycle change with the lapse of time after trypsinization. This was archived by measuring the DNA content of cells using flow cytometry, Cultured fetal fibroblast cells, adult skin and muscle cells, and cumulus cells were divided by 3 culture treatments; 1) grown to 60-70% confluency (cycling), 2) serum starved culture, 3) culture to confluency. Trypsinized cells were fixed by 70% ethanol and stained with propidium iodide. For one experiment, trypsinized cells were resuspended in DMEM＋10% FBS and incubated for 1.5, 3 and 6 h with occasional shaking before ethanol fixation. Cell cycle phases were determined by flow cytometry enabling calculation of percentages of G0＋G1, S and G2＋M. The majority of cells were in G0＋Gl stage regardless of origin of cells. Cultures that were serum starved or cultured to confluency contained significantly (P<0.05) higher percentages of cells in G0＋G1 (89.5-95.4%). For every cell lines and culture treatments, percentages of cells in existing in G0＋G1 increased with decreasing of the cell size from large to small. In the serum starved and confluency groups, about 98% of small cells were in G0＋G1 Serum starved culture contained higher percentages of small-sized cells (38.5-66.9%) than cycling and confluent cultures regardless of cell lines (P<0.05). After trypsinization of fetal fibroblast and adult skin cells that were serum starved and cultured to confluency, the percentages of cells in G0＋G1 significantly increased by incubation for 1.5(95.7-99.5%) and 3.0 h (95.9-98.6%). The results suggest that the efficient synchronization of bovine somatic cells in G0＋G1 for nuclear transfer can be established by incubation for a limited time period after trypsinization of serum starved or confluent cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.136-136
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• 2003

Mainly due to deficiencies in nuclear reprogramming, gene expression and DNA fragmentation, which result in early and late embryonic losses, the overall success rate achieved by cloning techniques to date is low. This present study compared the incidences of DNA fragmentation during development of IVF, parthenotes (PT), nuclear transfer (NT) and transgenic (TG) embryos. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) nick-end labelling (TUNEL) with propidium iodide counter staining was used for determination of DNA fragmentation and total number, respectively. TG and NT donor cells were fetal fibroblasts with or without transfection with EGFP, and cultured in DMEM+15% FCS until confluent, for 5 days. At 19 h post-maturation (hpm), enucleated oocytes were reconstructed with donor cells and activated at 24 hpm with the combinations of ionomycin (5 M, 5 min) and cyclo-heximide (10 g/ml, 5 h) after electric fusion by a single DC pulse (1.6 KV/cm, 60 sec). Parthenotes were produced by the same activation protocol at 24 hpm. (중략)