• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to improve efficiency and quality of the production of Korean Native Cow embryos. We examined effects of ovarian morphology and maturation vessel on the development and cell number of blastocysts. The development rates to the 2-cell embryos from oocytes collected from the ovaries of different morphological statues were similar ranging between 70.3 and 84.1%. The development rate to the 8 cell- and blastocyst-stage embryos was the highest in the group without both corpus luteum (CL) and follicle. The inner cell mass (ICM), trophectoderm (TE) and total cell number (TCN) were significantly higher in the groups of follicular cyst and regressive CL than other treatment groups, and the same pattern was observed in the ICM/TCN ratio. The development rate to the 2-cell stage was significantly higher in 0.5-㎖ straw group than 0.25-㎖ straw group. However, the development rates to the blastocyst stage were similar between the dish and the straw group. There were no differences in the number of ICM and TE cells, TCN and ICM/TCN ratio of blastocysts from oocytes matured in the different vessels.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.227-233
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of various addition and exclusion time of glucose (Control: no addition, A: 24～72 h, B: 24～48 h, C: 48～72 h, D: 0～72 h, E: 0～48 h, F: 0～24 h and 48～72 h, G: 0～24 h) on embryonic developmental capacity of 2-cell embryos in mice. Developed blastocysts were assessed for mean cell number by differential staining. The zona-intact blastocyst (ZiB) rates were higher (p<0.05) in group B than control. However, the zona-escape blastocyst (ZeB) rates were not significantly different in all groups. At 72 h, total blastocyst (ZiB + ZeB) formation rates were not significantly different in all groups. The mean cell number was not significantly different among all groups. The inner cell mass (ICM) cell number was higher (p<0.05) in group F than control, group A, B and G. The trophectoderm (TE) cell number was higher (p<0.05) in control than group A and D. The %ICM was higher (p<0.05) in group C, D and F than control. The ICM : TE ratio was not significantly different in all groups. Between control and glucose group, no significant difference was observed in the total blastocysts (ZiB + ZeB) formation rates. Also, no significant difference was observed in the mean cell number, ICM cell number and ICM : TE ratio. However the TE cell number was higher (p<0.05) in control than glucose group and %ICM was higher (p<0.05) in glucose group than control. In conclusion, glucose added in culture medium was not inhibitory on blastocyst formation but glucose added for 48 ～72 h in culture medium increases %ICM of blastocysts in mice.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 1996

The objective of this study was to examine the cell number of Total, ICM and TE cells of bovine blastocysts according to development progression cultured in CR1 medium, which was reported as successfully supporting medium for preimplantaion bovine embryo development to the blastocyst stage, by differential labelling of the nuclei with immunosurgery and polynucleot-ide-specific fluorochromes. Blastocysts were obtained at day 8 after in vitro fertilization and classified to early, middle, expanded stage according to the developmental morphology; blastocoel expansion and zona thickness. Also, bias tocysts in the same category were divided into two parts to check the Total cell number by using bisbenzimide only and ICM, TE and Total cell number by using immunosurgery and two polynucleotide-specific fluorochromes. 1) The development rate of blastocysts at day 8 after in vitro fertilization was 29.3% and classified bIas tocysts to early, middle, expanded and hatching stage were 8.7, 9.9, 7.6 and 3.1%, respectively. 2) The numbers of total blastomere using bisbenzimide in the classified blastocysts to early, middie and expanded were 46.9${\pm}$8.6, 66.2${\pm}$12.5 and 122.8 ${\pm}$ 14.4, respectively. This indicated that CR1 is a appropriate culture medium for bovine embryo development. 3) The count of ICM and TE cell number by using differential labelling with immunosurgery and polynucleotide-specific fluorochromes in the classified blastocysts to early, middle and expanded; ICM cell numbers of were 12.8${\pm}$5.9, 26.3${\pm}$8.4 and 35.5${\pm}$15.0, respectively and TE cell numbers were 30.5${\pm}$5.0, 4 41.3${\pm}$8.2 and 81.1${\pm}$13.4, respectively. These results presented that the increase of ICM and TE cell numbers averaged two and three doublings between early and expanded blastocyst stage and also total cell number counted from ICM nuclei and TE nuclei by using differential label-ling showed the increase pattern with development advance level and the results were similar to total cell number obtained from bisbenzimide treatment only. Therefore, the differential labelling of ICM and TE nuclei in situ is a very useful technique to evaluate embryo qualities and can be used as an indicator on study of preim-plantation embryo development.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.279-288
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• 1996

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of EGF on the development of IVM/IVF bovine embryos and their ICM and TE cell number. In addition, we examined the combined effect of EGF and coculture to the bovine embryo development and the expression of EGF-R protein on bovine embryos by indirect immunofluorescence. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows: When the IVM/IVF 4- to 8-cell embryos were treated at 0, 1, 10, 100 ng/ml of EGF, EGF treatment group showed improved development to blastocyst and increased pattern of ICM and TE cell number compared with control, although there is not significantly different. The stimulating effect of EGF (10 ng/ml) to the develop ment level of IVM/IVF bovine embryos significantly increased development rate to blastocyst after 8-cell stage (p<0.05), although there is no significant effect to the increase of ICM and TE cell numbers. Also, expression of EGF-R on the bovine embryonic stage by indirect immunofluor escence presents after 4-cell stage and the intensity of the EGF-R staining was variable with the development progression. On the other hand, embryos cultured in coculture group added either with or without EGF commonly indicated the significant difference in development rate to blastocyst and Total cell number compared with control. These results suggest that the a addition of EGF to the coculture may stimulate the coculture effect between IVM/IVF bovineembryos and cumulus cells. Therefore, EGF could promote preimplantation bovine embryo development by binding with expressed EGF~R after 4-cell stage, and stimulate the production of embryotrophic factors from the coculture environment. Also, the present study showed that there was no significant effect of EGF to the increase of ICM and TE cell number although the rate of blastocyst significantly increased when treated with EGF after 8-cell stage (p<0.05).

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was an improvement of efficiency and quality in the production of Korean Native Cow embryos. We investigated effects of concentration of ammonia in in vitro maturation (IVM) medium. In addition, we examined effects of addition or exchange of IVM medium on subsequent development and the cell numbers of blastocysts. The concentrations of ammonia in IVM medium was significantly increased by the increasement of IVM duration (p<0.05). The development rates to the 2 cell-, 8 cell- and blastocyst-stage embryos with the addition of IVM medium were similar among treatment groups. The number of inner cell mass (ICM) cells and the total cell number (TCN) of blastocysts were not differ among treatment groups, whereas the trophectoderm (TE) cell number was significantly lower in the group of 4.5 h addition. The ICM/TCN ratio was significantly higher in the group of 4.5 h addition than in the group of control and 9 h addition. The development rate to the 2-cell embryo with the exchange of IVM medium was significantly higher in the group of 4.5 h exchange and 9 h exchange than in control. The development rate to the blastocyst stage was the highest in the group of 9 h exchange. The number of ICM and ICM/TCN ratio were significantly higher in the group of 9 h exchange than the other groups. The numbers of TE and TCN was similar among treatment groups.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.9-12
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• 2016

Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) are oocyte-specific growth factors that regulate many critical processes involved in early folliculogenesis and oocyte maturation. In this study, effects of GDF9 and BMP15 treatment during in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes upon development after parthenogenetic activation were investigated. Neither GDF, BMP15 alone nor in combination affects the number and viability of cumulus cells or the rates of oocyte maturation and blastocyst development. However, the treatment of GDF9 on porcine oocytes increased the number of trophectodermal (TE) cells of blastocysts derived from activated oocytes (P<0.05). The treatment of BMP15 increased the cell numbers of both inner cell mass (ICM) and TE cells (P<0.05). The treatment with the combination of GDF9 and BMP15 further increased the numbers of ICM and TE cells, compared with GDF9 or BMP15 treatment alone (P<0.05). In conclusion, the treatment of GDF9 or BMP15 (or both) enhanced the quality of blastocysts via the increased number of ICM and/or TE cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.237-243
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• 2002

Objective : The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different media on blastulation, mean cell number, percentage of inner cell mass (ICM) of total cells and ICM : trophectoderm (TE) ratio in mice. Materials and methods: A total 552 two cell embryos were retrieved from ICR female mice (4 weeks old) at 48 hr after hCG injection (mated just after hCG injection) and cultured in MEM (n=276) or TCM (n=276) supplemented with 20% hFF. The grading of blastocysts from zona-intact (ZiB) to -escape (hatching and hatched, ZeB) was performed at 72 hours after culture. Total, TE and ICM cell numbers were analyzed by differential staining of blastocyst. Statistical analysis was performed using t-test with SigmaPlot-2001. P-values < 0.05 were accepted as statistically significant. Results: The blastulation rate in MEM ($64.9{\pm}4.95%$) was significantly higher (p=0.0031) than that in TCM ($57.2{\pm}5.22%$). No differences were found in the number of ZiB and ZeB between MEM ($31.9{\pm}2.62$, $33.0{\pm}4.58%$), and TCM ($27.2{\pm}4.28$, $30.1{\pm}4.58%$). A total 314 blastocysts (MEM=166; TCM=148) were stained differentially. Mean cell number of blastocysts was significantly higher (p=0.0002) in TCM ($73.1{\pm}3.3$) than in MEM ($61.7{\pm}2.5$). Differential staining was successfully performed in 155 blastocysts (MEM=77; TCM=78). The percentage of ICM was significantly higher in MEM than in TCM ($20.9{\pm}1.3$ vs. $17.1{\pm}1.2%$, p=0.0281). The ICM : TE ratio was higher in TCM than in MEM (1 : $4.85{\pm}0.68$ vs. 1 : $3.78{\pm}0.78$, NS). Conclusion: These results show that MEM increase the blastocyst formation and percentage of ICM of total cells comparing with TCM in mice.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 1997

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of EGF on the preimplantation development of mouse IVF embryos and their ICM and TE cell number. And also, we examined the expression of EGF-R protein on embryonic development by indirect immunofluorescence. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows; Group culture (5 embryos/ 25 ${\mu}l$) showed more improved development rate to blastocyst than singly culture. This inferior development of singly cultured 2-cell embryos improved by the addition of EGF. Especially, 2-cell embryos cultured singly in 10 ng/ml of EGF (62.4%) indicated significant difference in development to blastocyst compared with control group (47.9%). Also, cell number of ICM and TE by differential labelling showed the increased pattern in the EGF treatment group. The stimulating effect of EGF with the development level was significantly increased after 4-cell stage (p<0.05). ICM proportion also showed the increased pattern with the developmental level in the EGF treatment group. In addition, expression of EGF-R by indirect immunofluorescence detected after 4-cell stage. Therefore, EGF could stimulate preimplantation mouse embryo development by binding with expressed EGE-R after 4-cell stage and produce the more increased ICM and TE cell number of blastocyst.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2004

연구 목적: 본 연구의 목적은 마우스에서 배양액의 용량이 배반포 배 형성과 세포수에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위하여 실시하였다. 연구 재료 및 방법: $3{\sim}4$주령 ICR 암마우스에게 48시간 간격으로 5 IU PMSG와 hCG 주사 후 (hCG 주사 후 수컷과 동숙) $46{\sim}50$시간에 난관으로부터 총 138개의 2-세포기 배를 회수하여 2 ml (group I) 또는 $50{\mu}l$ (group II)의 배양액 (Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium + 20% human follicular fluid)에서 72시간 동안 배반포기까지 배양하였다. 배반포 배는 zona-intact (ZiB)와 zona-escape (ZeB)로 등급을 구분하고 나서, propidium iodide와 bisbenzimide를 이용한 differential staining 방법으로 염색하여 평균 세포수, 내세포괴(ICM) 세포수, 영양배엽(TE) 세포수, 총 세포수에 대한 ICM의 비율 (%ICM) 및 ICM:TE 비율을 조사하였다. 결과에 대한 유의성 검정은 $X^2$ test와 t-test를 이용하였으며, p<0.05일 때 통계적인 차이가 있는 것으로 하였다. 결 과: Group I과 II에서, 총 배반포 ($62.3{\pm}20.7%$ vs. $63.8{\pm}22.9%$), ZiB ($31.9{\pm}24.0%$ vs. $30.4{\pm}18.2%$)와 ZeB 형성율 ($30.4{\pm}20.8%$ vs. $33.3{\pm}22.3%$)은 차이가 없었다. 87개의 배반포 배를 염색 시도하였는데, 명확하게 differential staining된 41개의 배반포 배만을 대상으로 세포수를 조사하였다. 평균 세포수 ($61.6{\pm}19.5$ vs. $63.7{\pm}26.8$), ICM 세포수 ($13.0{\pm}10.6$ vs. $12.8{\pm}10.5$), TE 세포수 ($49.0{\pm}19.0$ vs. $47.8{\pm}18.7$), %ICM ($21.0{\pm}12.6%$ vs. $21.1{\pm}13.2%$) 및 ICM:TE 비율 (1:$3.77{\pm}4.9$ vs. 1:$3.72{\pm}4.8$)에서도 group I과 II에서 차이가 없었다. 결 론: 마우스에서 배 발생 능력의 척도로 쓰이는 배반포 배 형성율 배반포 배의 등급 세포수 및 %ICM 등이 20% 난포액을 첨가한 MEM 배양액의 용량에 따라 영향을 받지 않았다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2007

The main purpose of this study was to improve the efficiency and quality of in vitro embryo production in Korean Native Cows (KNC). We examined the effects of ovarian morphologies (Experiment 1) and the culture vessel (Experiment 2) on in vitro maturation (IVM). We measured the subsequent development rates and cell numbers of blastocysts. In Experiment 1, the ovaries of KNC were divided into six groups, based on follicle and corpus luteum (CL) morphology. The development rates to the 2- and 8-cell stages were similar among the six groups. The development rates to blastocyst stages were significantly higher in the group without a CL or follicle (WOCL/F) than in the groups with follicular cysts (FCs), regressive CLs (RCLs) or cystic CLs (CCLs) (p<0.05). The cell number of the inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocysts in the FCs and RCLs groups, and the number of cells in the trophectoderm (TE) in the WOCL/F group, FCs, growing CLs (GCLs) and RCLs were significantly higher than in other groups (p<0.05). The total cell number (TCN) in the WOCL/F, FC and RCL groups was also significantly higher than in other groups (p<0.05). The ICM cell number/TCN ratio was significantly higher in the FC and RCL groups than in the GCL and DF groups (p<0.05). In Experiment 2, oocyte IVM was carried out in culture dishes, in 0.25- or 0.5-ml straws used for freezing sperm. The development rate to the 2-cell stage was significantly higher in the 0.5-ml straw group than in the 0.25-ml straw group. The development rates to the blastocyst stage were similar in the dish and the two straw groups. There were no differences in the cell numbers of ICM, TE or TCN or ICM cell number/TCN ratios between groups.