• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 1997

We determined the effects of follicular fluid fractions in the maturation medium on bovine oocyte maturation, fertilization and subsequent development, as well as on number of cells in blastocysts following culture. Follicular fluid and oocytes from bovine follicles less than 5 mm in diameter were collected from the ovaries of slaughtered cows. Follicular fluid was separated into different molecular weight fractions by untrafiltration through a membrane using a centrifuge at 500$\times$g, for 2h. For the maturation medium, follicular fluid fractions (30%, v/v), whole fluid (30%) or PVP(3mg/ml) were added to TCM 199(0.1$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml estradiol-17$\beta$, 100IU hCG). After maturation for 24h, oocytes were fertilized in vitro with bull frozen-thawed spermatozoa and cultured on a monolayer of granulosa cells for 9 days after fertilization. There were no differences in maturation rates or fertilization rates among any maturation conditions. The rates of development to >2-cell stage of the oocytes were significantly decreased when fraction of follicular fluid below 10,000 MW were added into maturation medium, compared with control and fraction above 10,000 MW(26.0% vs 40.8% to 64.0%, respectveily. p<0.01). Likewise, the rates of development to blastocysts of fertilized oocytes were significantly decreased in maturation medium containing fraction of follicular fluid (<10,000 MW). The average cell number of blastocysts derived from oocytes that matured in the fraction(>10,000 MW) of follicular fluid was 154.7$\pm$13.7. These embryos contained more cells than those matured in whole follicular fluid, or the fraction(<10, 000 MW) of follicular fluid or control(107.0$\pm$8.4, 91.8$\pm$11.8 and 95.8$\pm$6.2, respectively). In conclusion, we found that fractions of follicular fluid contained factors stimulating or inhibiting oocyte cytoplasmic matruation. These suggest that a factor(s) inducing cytoplasmic maturation of oocytes may exist in >10,000 MW fraction of follicular fluid.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2000

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of polycystic ovarian follicular fluid on sperm motility in human in vitro fertilization (IVF). Methods: From May, 1998 to July, 1999, 55 patients who complained of infertility were involved in this study. We obtained ovarian follicular fluids from the patients by ultrasono-guided aspiration. Subjects were divided into two groups. 20 patients who had polycystic ovarian disease were belong to study group, and 25 patients who had normal ovarian follicular fluid were belong to control group. The follicular fluid dilution was done with Ham's fluid as 10%, 20%, 50%, 100%. The sperm motility was analyzed by CASA at 6hr and 12hr after incubation in follicular fluids. Results: The levels of average path velocity (VAP) in all concentration fluid didn't show significant difference between study and control group. The other parameters including curvilinear velocity (VCL), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), and linerity (LIN) were didn't show any significant difference between both groups. Conclusion: PCOD fluid had seemed to have an adverse effect on the sperm biological function. But, this study showed that PCOD fluid had no different effect on sperm motility with normal follicular fluid.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.203-210
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• 2000

The objective of this study was to identify a follicular fluid ingredient inhibiting the cumulus oocyte complex (COC) expansion. Thus, follicular fluid or liquid chromatographic fractions of follicular fluid was supplemented in COC culture medium. And COCs were incubated for 48 hours to investigate about cumulus expansion and also the first polar body extrusion. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The fluid of medium follicle significantly inhibited the COC expansion. 2. The fluid of large follicle inhibited the COC expansion. 3. Follicular fluid showed six major fractions at retention volumes (RVs) 1.83, 1.91, 2.15, 2.34, 2.53 and 2.74 ml after separation with Superose 12 column. Of the major fractions, fractions RV2.15, RV2.34, RV2.53 and RV2.74 inhibited both COC expansion and polar body extrusion. Especially, fractions of RV2.15 and RV2.53 significantly inhibited COC expansion, oocyte denudation and polar body extrusion. In conclusion, porcine follicular fluid contained a COC expansion inhibiting ingredient (CEI) that may be contained largely in fractions RV2.15 and RV2.53. And CEI may inhibit oocyte maturation by inhibition of oocyte denudation and extrusion of the first polar body.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.219-226
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• 1997

Follicular fluid influxed into the oviduct during ovulation may affect movement of sperm for fertilization Thus, in this study, the effect of follicular fluid, obtained from follicles of l0mm in diameter, on number and quality of sperm recovered by swim-up separation was investigated and sperm-movement stimulating components extracted from follicular fluid with methanol and isooctane were separated by gel filtration with Sepadex G-1O, G-25 and G-1OO gels, and were isolated by electrophoresis with SDS-PAGE mini gel. The results obtained were as follows; 1. Diluted follicular fluid stimulated sperm movement. 2. Sperm-movement stimulating factors were in methanol extract. 3. Sperm-movement stimulating effect of methanol extract appeared in fraction I among fractions recovered after gel filtration. And the fraction I contained proteins indicating 4 major bands as about 47, 43, 25 and 14 kilodaldons and 5 minor bands as about 67, 58, 23, 22 and 21 kilodaldons. 4. The fraction I recovered from G-100 gel showed significantly low percentage of motile sperm and had no protein indicating the band of 67 kilodaldons among the minor bands.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 1986

This experiment has been done to evaluate the relationship between the follicular atresia and the protein patterns on electrophoreais of the follicular fluids in porcine ovary. The protein concentration of the follicular fluids was lower than that of serum, and gradually decreased as the follicle siae became larger. The number of protein bands of follicular fluid on electrophoresis was less than that of serum, and gradually increased as follicle size became larger. Three specific bands were detected on disc PAGE and one band(M W. 75,000) on SDS PAGE in the follicular fluids, while not in serum. One band (A) at ${\beta}$-globulin region on disc PAGE became heavier, as follicles became atretic. Two bands less than(M. W. 20,000) were detected only in the large follicular fluid. Another band(M. W. 43,000) was not detected in necrotic group, whereas all other groups showed it. It could be concluded that the component and composition of the proteins follicular fluids changes according to the follicular size during atresia. Therefore detection of the changing pattern of proteins in the follicular fluid can be used as a basic criterion for the identification of follicular atretic stage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1711-1715
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• 2003

The experiment was designed on 42 non pregnant Black Bengal goat. Out of which 18 were subjected to a superovulatory treatment comprising of eCG and hCG for embryo transfer study. The remaining 24 goats received no treatment and served as control for parameter studied as well as recipient for embryo transfer studies. Important biochemical constituents such as acid and alkaline phosphatase, total protein and cholesterol and inorganic phosphorus were estimated in the follicular fluid of control and treated group and the values were separately recorded for small medium and large size follicle. The results indicated a significant effect on acid phosphotase activity due to size of follicle. The value increased progressively from small to medium and from medium to large follicles. Alkaline phosphotase activity showed reverse trend. Alkaline phosphotase decreased progressively as size increased. The concentration of inorganic phosphorus did not reveal any significant difference between the control and treatment groups and also between the different size follicles. The concentration of protein decreased significantly from small to medium and from medium to large, although no difference was observed between the control and treatment groups. The concentration of Cholesterol in the follicular fluid indicated a significant increase from small to medium and to large follicle. Here also no difference was observed due to treatment. Similar in the composition of follicular fluid in the respect of above mentioned constituents indicated no of super ovulatory treatment on follicular fluid composition.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 1990

To study the follicular atretic mechanism in mammalian ovary, the medium-sized (3.0-6.0mm) follicles of porcine ovary were morphologically classified as nonnal and atretic. Steroid concentrations in the follicular fluid were analyzed by radioimmunoassay, and the proteins in that fluid were electrophoretically separated. Concentrations of progesterone in the atretic follicular fluid of follicular phases were higher than those of normal ones (p < 0.05). Concentrations of testosterone were high in normal luteal and atretic follicular-phases follicles. The concentrations of estradiol remained significanily lower in atretic follicular-phases follicles than normal. After sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of follicular fluid proteins, four kinds of proteins (20K, 32K, 33K, 38K) were detected, and those proteins were not present in sera. According to the ovarian cycle, proteins of MW of 112K and 141K were identified. In atretic follicular fludies, MW of 23K and 24K were specifically detected. From the above results, we can conclude that, as ovarian cycle changes, steroid contents and protein composition in atretic follicular fluid are different from the normal developing follicular fluid. To further understand the physiologic roles of the proteins present in the atretic follicular fluids, these proteins need to be characterized and identified.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 1981

It has been already suggested that specific macromolecules in follicular fluid produced by granulosa cells may play a role in suppressing further meiotic maturation of the oocytes. In general, the search for specific macromolecules in follicular fluid using immunological methods has not been rewarding. These studies were designed, by applying more effective immunological methods than conventionally employed, (l) to identify whether some unknown macromolecules are present in the porcine follicular fluid or not, and (2) to clarify the relationship between the oocytes and the specific macromolecules in the follicular fluid. The results obtained were as follows; (1) porcine follicular fluid contained two specific proteins, which were not present in pig plasma and serum. (2) each of two proteins showed electrophoretically fast alpha-globulin and beta-globulin mobilities. (3) these proteins seemed to have inhibitory effect on the maturation of mouse oocytes in vitro. From these results, it can be assumed that pig follicular fluid contains specific proteins which seem to be intra-follicular inhibitor(s) of oocyte maturation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1557-1563
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• 2005

Ovarian follicular fluid contains both stimulatory and inhibitory agents that influence the growth and maturation of oocyte. In the present study, an attempt was made to isolate and study the biological properties of ovarian follicular fluid peptide(s) in buffaloes. Bubaline ovarian follicular was made steroid- and cell-free. A protein fraction was obtained by saturation (30-35% level) of the follicular fluid with ammonium sulfate. The protein fraction was purified with Sephadex-G 50 gel filtration chromatography and a single peak was obtained in the eluant volume, which was lyophilized. SDS-PAGE of the lyophilized fraction revealed a single band and the molecular weight of the peptide was 26.6 kDa. The peptide stimulated the cumulus cell expansion and in vitro maturation rate of oocytes in buffaloes in a dose dependent manner when it was incorporated at different dose levels (0, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 1,000 ng $ml^{-1}$ of maturation medium). The basic culture medium consisted of TCM 199 with Bovine serum albumin (0.3%). The in vitro maturation rates were comparable to those obtained with a positive control medium (TCM 199+20 ng EGF $ml^{-1}$+steer serum (20%)). Further purification and biological assays may throw more light on the nature and functions of this peptide.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.103-111
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• 1993

These experiments were undertaken to establish the optimal culture systems for in vitro maturation, fertilization and subsequently embryonic development of porcine immature follicular oocytes isolated from the ovary of slaughtered pigs. Porcine ovaries were brought to the laboratory from local slaughter house within 1 hour after slaughtering and cumulus oocytes complexes were recovered from antral follicles (3~5mm) with 23 gauge needle. To maturate follicular oocytes, cumulus oocytes complexes were washed three times with TCM-199 containing 25mM HEPES and incubated (39$^{\circ}C$, 5% CO2 in air) for 42hrs. Ejaculated and liquid storaged boar spermatozoa capacitated with different sperm capacitation methods and media were prepared forfertilizaing of matured follicular oocytes in vitro. Fertilization was performed by adding 5~10${mu}ell$ of capacitated spermatozoa containing 1~5$\times$105 sperm/ml to droplets. Eighteen to twenty-eight hours after sperm insemination, fertilized eggs were washed three times with culture media and transferred to the culture media. The fertilization rates of in vitro matured follicular oocytes cultured in B. O., TCM-HEPES, m-KRB, and TALP-II media were 61.3%, 83.0%, 88.9% and 89.2%, respectively. In addition, the polyspermy rates were 60.7%, 66.5%, 53.8%, and 43.9%, respectively. These data indicated that the highest of fertilization and the lowest of polyspermy rate was shown in TALP-II medium. Spermatozoa capacitated by caffeine, heparin, and percoll density gradient treatment in the 4 different media, the fertilization rates were 33.0~57.2%, 39.9~90.2%, and 52.6~92.8%, respectively, showing the lowest rate in caffeine treatment. The development rate of follicular oocytes, fertilized with the spermatozoa capacitated by caffeine, heparin, and percoll gradient in the TALP-II medium, upto 2 to 4-cell stages were 32.6%, 74.5% and 70.9%, respectively. Finally, fertilization rates of follicular oocytes cultured with follicular fluid containing medium from 10 to 100% were 61.2~94.1% and the rates (90~94%) with 10~20% follicular fluids were significantly higher than those (85.3%) of cultured in the media without follicular fluid. In addition, the rates of pronucleus formation were also higher in follicular fluid treated group (73.1~83.0%) than those (64.7%) of oocytes cultured without follicular fluid. The highest fertilization and pronucleus formation rates was found in oocytes cultured with 10% follicular fluid. These results suggest that the addition of heparin or percoll density gradient method is better capacitation method. Furthermore, the addition of porcine follicular fluid to the fertilization medium may improve the fertilization rates and formation of pronucleus.