• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.61-69
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• 2007

This study was designed to evaluate effects of BSA, PVA, gonadotropins and follicle shell during IVM of porcine oocytes and subsequent development to the blastocyst stage after IVF. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured in TCM-199 media containing 4 mg/ml BSA and 1 mg/ml PVA during IVM for 44 hr. To compare the effect of gonadotropins on oocyte maturation, COCs were cultured with FSH+LH, FSH, LH and FSH-LH-free media during IVM. respectively. Also, different number of follicle shells (0, 2, 4 and 6) was used to examine whether the presence of follicle shell in culture medium affects oocyte maturation. The percentages of fertilization and blastocyst formation, respectively, were higher in the medium containing the PVA (49.0 and 17.9%) than those containing the BSA (40.0 and 12.2%). Significantly higher rates of Mil oocytes were in the presence of FSH+LH and FSH (88.6 and 85.1 %) compared to other treatments (64.0 and 53.4% at LH and FSH-LH-free media). Co-culture with inverted follicle shells in 2 ml maturation medium enhanced the developmental competence of porcine oocytes. In conclusion, PVA could be used as a macromolecules instead of BSA, and FSH and follicle shell played important roles in maturation of porcine oocytes.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.85-93
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• 1994

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of gonadotropins added during maturation of porcine oocytes on the in vitro maturation(IVM), in vitro fertilization(IVF) and developmental potential of embryos. The follicular oocytes were cultured in TCM-199 medium containing different combination of gonadotropins(5$\mu$g /ml FSR or 1OIU /ml PMSG and 1O$\mu$g /ml LH or 1OIU /ml hCG), 10% FCS and 10% PFF for 36~48h in a incubator with 5% $CO_2$ in Air at 39$^{\circ}C$ and then matured oocytes were again cultured to 120h after IVF for 6~7h with heparin(100$\mu$g /m')-treated sperm. When the oocytes were matured for 42brs in the medium containing FSH+LH, FSH+hCG, PMSG+LH or PMSG+hCG, the JVF rate of each treatment was 50.0%, 52.9%, 66.7% and 70.0%, respectively. The highest CEI (cumulus cell expansion index) was obtained from PMSG+hCG-added medium and the highest polyspermic penetration resulted from FSH+LH-added medium. The cleavage of IVF oocytes derived from hormone added IVM was significantly(P<0.05) promoted by PMSG+hCG and the cleavage rate after 36-h, 42-h and 48-h maturation aws 53.0%, 56.7% and 45.6%, respectively. The highest developmental potential resulted from the oocytes derived from PMSG+LH -added IVM.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 1981

The Purpose of this study was to determine the serum content of LH, FSH and prolactin. Blood samples collected from day 20 prepartum to 20 postrtum in 8 sows. LH, FSH and prolactin were assayed by radioimmunoassay methods. LH levels increased from 2.3 mIU/$m\ell$ day 6 prepartum to 5.8 mIU/$m\ell$ by day +2 and remained quite constant thereafter. The mean serum FSH increased from 7.5mIU/$m\ell$ day 6 prepartum to 10.0 mIU/$m\ell$ at the time of parturition, but the difference in LH and FSH patterns reported here provide further evidence that the controlling mechanisms for the two gonadotropins are independent. Prolactin reached a peak mean level of 68.5ng/$m\ell$ at day 0.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.223-230
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• 1990

This experiment was carried out to investigate in vitro maturation rate of pig follicular oocytes cultured from 30 to 48hr in TCM 199 supplemented with gonadotropins(FSH, LH) and estradiol-17$\beta$ and in vitro fertilization with ejaculated sperm preincubated in BO medium containing 2mM caffein and development of IVF oocytes. The results obtained in this experiments were as follows ; 1. In addition of hormones, in vitro maturation rate of follicular oocyte increased gradually from 36hr and 74.47% at 48hr in addition of hormones, but there was no differences among in vitro maturation rates after 36hr of culture. 2. Penetration rate of pig oocytes matured in FSH＋LH＋E2 and FSH＋E2 was 71.8%, 71.0% and significantly increased by the addition of hormones. 3. Percentage of developed oocytes was 44.4% for oocytes matured in FSH＋LH＋E2-added medium and 48.7% for oocytes matured in FSH＋E2-added medium, respectively. 4. Two to 16 cells stage embryos were obtained only when pig oocytes matuerd in vitro in hormones-added medium and 72hr after IVF. 5. From present results, it is concluded that gonadotropins and estradiol17$\beta$ can enhance in vitro fertilization and subsequent development as well as in vitro maturation pig follicular oocytes.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.154-159
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• 2007

Manchurian trout (Brachymystax lenok) is an endangered fish species in East Asia including the Korean peninsula. To establish a method for artificial propagation and to improve our understanding of the reproduction in the species, we have produced recombinant gonadotropins, follicle-stimulating hormone (r-mtFSH) and luteinizing hormone (r-mtLH), which may play central roles in reproductive activities. In the present study, the biological activities of the recombinant hormones were analyzed by gonadosomatic index (GSI), ovarian follicle diameter, and sex steroid levels in mature rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In the 6th day post-injection, FSH-injected fish were slightly decreased in the GSI value, although there were no significant differences among those of control, r-mtFSH, and r-mtLH treatments. Injection of the r-mtFSH increased follicle diameters significantly as compared with those of control- and r-mtLH-injected fish. The plasma steroid levels showed wide differences in the groups at 1, 3, or 6th day post-injection. Despite the variable steroid levels, three individuals receiving either r-mtFSH or r-mtLH showed a great increase in a maturation-inducing steroid, $17{\alpha},20{beta}$-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one, at 3 and 6 days. Taken together, these results suggest that biological efficacies of the recombinant FSH and LH should be further studied in the Manchurian trout.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.361-371
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• 2013

The present study assessed the effect of FSH and LH on oocyte meiotic, cytoplasmic maturation and on the expression level and polyadenylation status of several maternal genes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured in the presence of FSH, LH, or the combination of FSH and LH. Significant cumulus expansion and nuclear maturation was observed upon exposure to FSH alone and to the combination of FSH and LH. The combination of FSH and LH during entire IVM increased the mRNA level of four maternal genes, C-mos, Cyclin B1, Gdf9 and Bmp15, at 28 h. Supplemented with FSH or LH significantly enhanced the polyadenylation of Gdf9 and Bmp15; and altered the expression level of Gdf9 and Bmp15. Following parthenogenesis, the exposure of oocytes to combination of FSH and LH during IVM significantly increased cleavage rate, blastocyst formation rate and total cell number, and decreased apoptosis. In addition, FSH and LH down-regulated the autophagy gene Atg6 and upregulated the apoptosis gene Bcl-xL at the mRNA level in blastocysts. These data suggest that the FSH and LH enhance meiotic and cytoplasmic maturation, possibly through the regulation of maternal gene expression and polyadenylation. Overall, we show here that FSH and LH inhibit apoptosis and autophagy and improve parthenogenetic embryo competence and development.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1496-1500
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• 2004

In the mammalian ovary the follicular fluid contains proteins and peptides which play an important role in growth, development and maturation of oocytes. The gonadotropins and some other factors work synergistically and regulate ovarian functions. In the present study the effect of follicular fluid proteins (FFP) and gonadotropins on progesterone secretion by granulosa cells (GC) from buffalo ovary, was investigated during culture. The follicular fluid was collected from small (<5 mm), and medium (5-8 mm) follicles obtained from buffalo ovaries. The follicular fluid from medium follicles was fractionated with ammonium sulphate at 80% saturation. The precipitated protein fraction was further resolved in to minor (peaks I, III) and major (peak II) proteins using gel filtration (Sephadex G-200). The FFP from small follicles and major FFP (peak II) at a dose of 200 $\mu$g/well, significantly stimulated progesterone secretion by pooled GC (3${\times}10^{5}$ cells/2 ml medium/well). The minor FFP did not show any stimulatory effect. There was a significant increase in progesterone secretion by pooled GC in presence of FFP and LH (10 ng/well), however, FSH (20 ng/well) with FFP exhibited an inhibitory effect. The major FFP and gonadotropins were also studied for their effect on progesterone production by GC isolated from medium and large size follicles. The GC from medium follicles were more responsive to FSH and FFP whereas GC from large follicles exhibited enhanced progesterone secretion with LH and FFP. These results indicated that FFP have their own stimulatory effect and also act synergistically with gonadotropins. The significantly different response shown by GC, for steroid hormone secretion, is based on their stage of growth and differentiation. The purification and characterization of such steroidogenic proteins may help in elucidating their role in growth and differentiation of granulosa cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.265-274
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• 2009

Objective: MicroRNAs (miR) are known to repress target genes at post-transcriptional level and play important roles in development and maturation of cell. However, the expression profiles of miR during ovarian follicle maturation have not been fully elucidated. Here, we designed this study to investigate the expression profiles of miR in oocytes and granulose cells (G-cells) after in vitro culture according to gonadotropins and adding hCG. Methods: Ovaries from 12-day-old mice (C57BL6) were removed and preantral follicles were isolated and cultured in $20\;{\mu}L$-drop of culture media with supplementation of either rFSH, rLH, or rFSH+rLH. After their full maturation, follicles were incubated with rhCG and rEGF. RNA was isolated from oocytes and G-cells, and real-time PCR were performed with primers of miR known to be expressed in the mouse ovary (mmu-miR-16, -miR-27a, -miR-126, -miR-721). Results: FSH+LH group showed the highest ovulation and MII rates among gonadotropin groups. The profiles of miRs in oocytes and G-cells differed according to gonadotropin groups and adding hCG. The profiles of miRs showed divergent changes between oocytes and G-cells. Conclusion: miR expression profiles are altered by gonadotropins and supplementation of hCG during in vitro maturation of murine follicles. Target gene study must be necessary to validate these findings.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2022

In the present study, we investigated the effects of recombinant eel gonadotropins (rec-GTHs) on maturation induction in immature ovarian culture in vitro and sex steroid hormones in vivo in the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica. To study the in vitro effects of rec-GTHs on estradiol-17β (E2) production in immature ovarian tissues, ovarian tissues were incubated with different doses of rec-follicle-stimulating hormone (rec-FSH) or rec-luteinizing hormone (rec-LH). The results revealed that the E2 levels in the rec-FSH (0.1, 0.5, or 1 ㎍/mL)- and rec-LH (0.1 or 0.5 ㎍/mL)-treated groups were significantly higher than those in the female eels from the control group. Furthermore, to investigate the in vivo effects of rec-GTHs on the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and plasma sex steroid hormone levels, the eels were injected intraperitoneally with eel's ringer (control), salmon pituitary extract (SPE; for female eels), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; for male eels), rec-FSH, rec-LH, and rec-FSH + rec-LH once a week. The results revealed that except for the SPE and the hCG groups, none of the groups exhibited a significant difference in GSI values. However, in vivo plasma E2 levels increased at the end of 4 weeks after rec-FSH treatment in female eels. Based on these results, it is suggested that rec-GTHs may have a positive effect on sexual maturation in female eels; however, further studies on complementary rec-protein production systems and additional glycosylation of rec-hormones are needed to elucidate hormone bioactivity in vivo and in vitro.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2007

Despite many efforts to improving canine in vitro maturation(IVM), the efficiency is still low compared to that of other mammalian species. The present study investigated the effects of gonadotropin, epidermal growth factor and cysteine supplementation on in vitro maturation of canine oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured in basic medium (TCM-199 containing 10% FBS, 0.11mg/ml sodium pyruvate supplemented with or without $10{\mu}g/ml$ FSH, 10ng/ml EGF and 0.57mM cysteine) for 72 hr at $38.5^{\circ}C$ in humidified atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$ in air. After culture, oocytes were stained with Hoechst 33342 $(10{\mu}g/ml)$ for 30 min at $4^{\circ}C$, and assessed their nuclear status (GV: germinal vesicle, GVBD: germinal vesicle break down, MI: metaphasse I, MII: metaphase II, UK: unknown stage). No differences were observed in GV, MI and MII rate except GVBD rate between with and without gonadotropins addition respectively (6.7%, vs. 17.2%). Supplementation of 10ng/ml of EGF in hormones added IVM medium resulted in significantly (p<0.05) higher MII rate (4.54% vs.7.06%). Although there are no significantly difference, total of MI and MII rates were increased by adding cysteine. In conclusion, the present study indicates that supplementation of $10{\mu}g/ml$ LH and FSH, 10ng/ml EGF and 0.57mM cysteine in canine IVM medium show a positive influence on the progression of maturation to MII at 72 hr.