• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.77-82
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of oocyte maturational age and activation condition on in vitro development of porcine parthenogenetic embryos (parthenotes). Porcine follicular oocytes were matured in vitro for 30 to 44 hr. Maturation rate was examined during in vitro maturation (IVM) every 2 hr interval. The cdc2 kinase activity was measured at 36 and 44 hr of IVM. Some oocytes were activated at 36 or 44 hr of IVM by three different conditions; 1) single electric stimulation (1.5 kV/cm for $30{\mu}sec$; ES), 2) double electric stimulations (1.5 kV/cm for $30{\mu}sec$, followed by 1.0 kV/cm for $50{\mu}sec$ after 1 hr; ES+ES) or 3) ES+ES followed by culture in 6-dimethlyaminopurine (6-DMAP) for 4 hr (ES+ES+D), and cultured for 6-7 days. Maturation rate was significantly increased as culture period was increased to 36 hr (66.9%, p<0.05), and then gradually increased to 87.1% at 44 hr of IVM. The cdc2 kinase activity was decreased (p<0.05) with culture period prolonged from 36 hr to 44 hr. Lower blastocyst formation rate (4.3%, p<0.05) were obtained by ES in 36 hr-matured oocytes compared to other treatments (16.5 and 20.5%) in the same age and the same treatment in 44 hr-matured oocytes (15.0%). High blastocyst formation rate (23.6%) was obtained by ES+ES+D in 44 hr-matured oocytes (p<0.05). These results demonstrate that porcine oocyte activation and in vitro development of parthenotes can be affected by interactions between oocyte maturational age and activation condition.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.501-508
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• 2013

The effects of amino acids and dipeptides on in vitro production of porcine embryos and accumulation of ammonia in culture medium during developmental stages were examined in this study. The maturation, fertilization and development of embryonic cultures were performed in modified Tissue culture medium (mTCM)-199 supplemented with 10% (v/v) porcine follicular fluid, modified Tyrode's albumin lactate pyruvate (mTALP) medium, and modified North Carolina State University (mNCSU)-23 medium, respectively. In addition, amino acids and dipeptides of different concentrations and combinations were used to treat the embryos. The addition of L-alanyl-L-glutamine (AlnGln)+L-glycyl-L-glutamine (GlyGln) significantly (p<0.05) improved oocyte maturation, fertilization and the incorporation and oxidation of 14C(U)-glucose when compared to the control group and other treatment groups. Additionally, 2-4 cell, 8-16 cell, morula and blastocyst development increased significantly (p<0.05) following treatment with AlnGln+GlyGln when compared to the control group and other treatment groups, while this treatment reduced the accumulation of ammonia. Taken together, these findings suggest that treatment with AlnGln+GlyGln may play an important role in increasing the rate of porcine oocyte maturation, fertilization and embryonic development by reducing the level of accumulated ammonia measured in the culture media.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.213-224
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• 2014

Previously we have shown that human abdominal adipose derived-stem cells (ADSCs) could aggregate during the high-density culture in the presence of human serum (HS). In the present study, we observed that human cord blood serum (CBS) and follicular fluid (HFF) also induced aggregation. Similarly, porcine serum could induce aggregation whereas bovine and sheep sera induced little aggregation. qRT-PCR analyses demonstrated that, compared to FBS-cultured ADSCs, HS-cultured cells exhibited higher level of mRNA expression of CLDN3, -6, -7, -15, and -16 genes among the tight junction proteins. ADSCs examined at the time of aggregation by culture with HS, BSA, HFF, CBS, or porcine serum showed significantly higher level of mRNA expression of JAM2 among JAM family members. In contrast, cells cultured in FBS, bovine serum or sheep serum, showed lower level of JAM2 expression. Immunocytochemical analyses demonstrated that the aggregates of HS-cultured cells (HS-Agg) showed intense staining against the anti-JAM2 antibody whereas neither non-aggregated cells (HS-Ex) nor FBS-cultured cells exhibited weak staining. Western blot results showed that HS-Agg expressed JAM2 protein more prominently than HS-Ex and FBS-cultured cells, both of latter reveled weaker intensity. These results suggest that the aggregation property of ADSCs during high-density culture would be dependent on the specific components of serum, and that JAM2 molecule could play a role in the animal sera-induced aggregation in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2003

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of catalase using xanthine (X)-xanthine oxidase (XO) system on in vitro maturation and fertilization in the pig. When follicular oocytes were cultured with X or XO, the maturation rates were not significantly different between in medium with and without catalase despite of different culture periods. However, significantly (P<0.05) higher maturation rates were obtained in culture with X-XO-catalase system. The rates of degenerated oocytes were increased with culture periods prolonged, and were significantly (P<0.05) higher in medium without that than with catalase at 120 h of culture. On the other hand, the parthenogenetic oocytes were observed with high proportions at 72 h of culture, but were not different between the medium with and without catalase at various times of culture. In another experiment, the frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa treated with X-XO system for in vitro fertilization. The penetration rates were higher in medium with that than without catalase during the in vitro fertilization with none (P<0.05), XO and X+XO. On the other hand, when sperm were treated with none, X, XO and X+XO, lipid peroxidation were produced with higher rates in medium without that than with catalase, and consequently the changes in sperm penetration and lipid peroxidation showed opposite patterns. Under the above all conditions, however, sperm-SH group were higher detected by catalase. When the activity of sperm binding to zona pellucida was evaluated through binding to salt-stored porcine oocytes, sperm binding to zona pellucida in control group were higher than in medium with X, XO and X+XO groups. No significant differences, however, were observed between medium with and without catalase. In conclusion, the exposure of follicular oocytes and spermatozoa to X-XO-catalase system may be caused stimulating in vitro maturation and fertilization in the pig.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2002

Objective: To evaluate whether co-culture of oocytes on vero cell monolayers from Day 0 (Day 0 group) after egg retrieval results in an increase in developmental capacity such as fertilization rate, embryo quality, blastulation and clinical pregnancy rate compared with co-culture of oocytes from Day 1 (Day 1 group). Methods: Sperms were treated with Hams F-10 supplemented with 10% human follicular fluid (hFF). Vero cells for co-culture were prepared in TCM-199 with 10% FBS. Oocytes were co-cultured from Day 0 and fertilized oocytes were co-cultured from Day 1 on vero cell monolayers in DMEM with 10% and 20% hFF, respectively after egg retrieval. On day 1, 2 and 5, fertilization rate and grade of embryos and blastocysts were evaluated. Results (fertilization rate, cleavage rate, grade of embryos and blastocysts and pregnancy rate) were considered statistically significant when p value was less than 0.05 using t-test and $x^2$. Results: In sibling oocytes of same cycles, no differences were found in fertilization rate (94.6 vs. 91.4%), cleavage rates (94.6 vs. 91.4%), embryo grade (on day 2 and 3) and blastulation (65.6 vs. 57.0%) and their grade. In different oocytes of different cycles (patients), no differences were found in fertilization (79.8 vs. 78.3%), cleavage rates (77.7 vs. 76.4%) and blastulation (56.0 vs. 45.3%), but pregnancy rate was higher in the Day 0 group than in the Day 1 group (60.0 vs. 42.9%). Conclusions: This study revealed that the embryonic development capacities were not affected by the different co-culture time in the sibling oocytes of same cycles. Although no statistical significance, because of small size of study, there was a trend for higher pregnancy rates in Day 0 group compared to Day 1 group in different oocytes of different cycles.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2002

In most mammals, mature oocyte-cumulus complexer(OCCs) ovulate into the oviduct where fertilization by sperm takes place. However, the complex that fail to fertilize eventually undergoes degeneration while they reside in the oviduct. Yet there is no blown mechanism how both oocyte and cumulus cells degenerate. Using human follicular fluid (hFF), bovine oviductal tissue extract (BOX) and mouse OCC, the present study aimed to find how the oviduct influence the viability of the oocyte and cumulus cells in vitro. There was no difference of oocyte maturation rate between the control and BOX-treated groups. However, there was a significant difference in the survival of cumulus cells between two groups. Cumulus cells cultured in the presence of hFF alone underwent initially expansion and then they formed monolayer in the culture dish. Even after 72 hr, they proliferated well and showed fibroblast-like morphology. Cumulus cells cultured in the presence of both hFF and BOX also expanded after 24 hr, however, after 72 hr culture, they eventually detached and degenerated. Cumulus cells cultured in the BOX alone gave a similar drastic result. When the cumulus cells cultured in the presence of BOX were stained with DAPI, their nuclei showed partial condensation and fragmentation. After detailed analysis of these cells by TUNEL assay, many nuclei of them exhibited well stained spots indicating the signs of apoptosis. Based upon these observations, it is suggested that BOX might possess a factor that leads mouse cumulus cells to undergo apoptosis in vitro.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.249-254
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• 1994

This study was undertaken to investigate effects of granulosa cells on mejotic maturation of porcine oocytes in vitro. The results obtained in this study were summarized as follows : The germinal vesicle breakdown(GVBD) rates were 91.5, 93.3 and 96.6%, respectively, when the cumulus oocy:e cornplexes(COC) in the TCM-199 medium with sodium bicarbonate, Na pyruvate, penicillin G, streptomycin sulfate and 10% FCS were cultured in the condition of FSH(0.02 Au/ml), LH(10 $\mu$g/ml) and FSH + LH added. And when the COC were co-cultured with granulosa cell (5$\times$ 106 cells /ml) in the condition of FSH, LH and FSH + LH added, GVBD rates were 94.3, 92.9 and 98.9%, respectively. However, when the COC were cultured in the condition of hormone free and co-cultured with granulosa cells in the condition of hormone free, the GVBD rates were 40.4 and 86.3%, respectively. The GVBD rates were 41.0, 62.7, 84.6, 88.1 and 93.6%, respectively, when the COC were co-cultured with granulosa cells that the concentrations are 0 cells /ml, 1 $\times$ 106 cells /ml, 5:: 106 cells /ml, 1$\times$ 107 cells /ml and 5$\times$ 107 cells /ml.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2009

Centrobin/Nip2 was initially identified as a centrosome protein that is critical for centrosome duplication and spindle assembly. In the present study, we determined the expression and subcellular localization of centrobin in selected mouse tissues. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the centrobin-specific band of 100 kDa was detected in all tissues tested but most abundantly in the thymus, spleen and testis. In the testis, centrobin was localized at the centrosomes of spermatocytes and early round spermatids, but no specific signal was detected in late round spermatids and elongated spermatids. Our results also revealed that the centrosome duplication occurs at interphase of the second meiotic division of the mouse male germ cells. The centrobin protein was more abundant in the mitotically active ovarian follicular cells and thymic cortex cells than in non-proliferating corpus luteal cells and thymic medullary cells. The expression pattern of centrobin suggests that the biological functions of centrobin are related to cell proliferation. Consistent with the proposal, we observed reduction of the centrobin levels when NIH3T3 became quiescent in the serum-starved culture conditions. However, a residual amount of centrobin was also detected at the centrosomes of the resting cells, suggesting its role for maintaining integrity of the centrosome, especially of the daughter centriole in the cells.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2003

본 연구는 사람의 시험관아기 프로그램에서 수정 후 1일째의 전핵 등급이 체외 수정란의 발달에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 정상적인 시험관 아기 시술을 시행한 실례 환자를 대상으로 과배란을 유기하여 배란 직전의 난자를 채취하여 정자를 주입한 다음 체외 수정을 유도하였다. 수정 유도 18시간 후 전핵과 핵인의 형태에 따라 전핵의 등급을 1 및 2등급으로 나누어 각각 3일 동안 체외 배양을 실시하여, 체외 수정란의 형태에 따라 1, 2 및 3등급으로 분류하였든 바, 전핵의 등급에 따라 각각 1등급 체외수정란의 발달율은 1등급 전핵란에서는 83.5%로서 2등급 전핵란의 5.5%보다 유의적으로 (P<0.05) 높았다. 1등급 및 2등급 전핵란에서 수정 후 3일째에 5-세포기 이상의 단계로 발달하는 경우는 각각 85.1% 및 24.5%를 나타내었고, 평균 할구수는 7.4$\pm$2.1 및 4.1$\pm$3.5개를 나타내어 발달 능력에서 1등급 전핵란이 2등급 전핵란보다 유의적으로 (P<0.05) 높게 나타났다.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.237-242
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• 1995

Porcine follicular oocytes matured in culture were inseminated with frozen-thawed spermatozoa. When the oocytes were inseminated in the medium with oviductal epithelial cell monolayer, the penetration rates higher in those with (4.1, 31.7, 45.1, 54.5 and 69.4%) than without cells (0, 17.1, 34.8, 45.2 and 58.9%) at 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 h after insemination. The proportions of polyspermy in penetrated oocytes in medium with or without cells increased with time of examine. In another experiment, the penetration rate was higher without (57.6%) than with (19.6~24.1%) preincubation of spermatozoa for 1~4 h in medium. However, when the oocytes were inseminated with spermatozoa preincubated for 1~2 h, the penetration rates significantly higher (P<0.05) in those with (65.6 and 55.9% for 1 and 2 h) than without (24.1 and 20.6% for 1 and 2 h) oviductal epithelial cell monolayer. On the other hand, the proportions of polyspermy decreased with time of spermatozoa preincubation. These results indicate the significant advantages of the spermatozoa preincubation with oviductal epithelial cell monolayer for 1 and 2 h to maintain penetration potential during in vitro fertilization in the porcine.