• Development and Reproduction
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2013

This study was performed to investigate the effect of peroxisome proliferators activated receptor-${\gamma}$ (PPAR-${\gamma}$) ligand, pioglitazone, on production of regulated upon activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome in infertile patients with endometriosis. Sixty-four infertile patients with stage III or IV endometriosis undergoing IVF were randomly allocated to the study or the control group. The long protocol of GnRH agonist (GnRH-a) was used for controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in all patients. Patients in the study group were treated with pioglitazone at a dose of 15 mg/day orally from the starting day of GnRH-a treatment to the day of hCG injection. Blood samples were drawn for serologic assay of RANTES on the first day of GnRH-a treatment and the day of hCG injection. There were no differences between the study and control groups in patient characteristics. There were also no differences between the two groups in COS duration, and the numbers of retrieved oocytes, fertilized oocytes and embryos transferred. The clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was higher in the study group, but this difference was not statistically significant. However, embryo implantation rate was significantly higher in the study group of 12.5% compared with 8.6% in the control group (P<0.05). The serum RANTES levels after pioglitazone treatment were significantly lower than those before pioglitazone treatmen in the study group (P<0.05). Our data suggest that pioglitazone treatment can suppress RANTES production and improve the embryo implantation rate in patients with endometriosis undergoing IVF.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.201-207
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• 2002

Objective: To observe the capability of fertilization and embryo development including blastocyst formation of the oocytes in simple media after thawing of the cryopreserved cumulus-free mouse oocytes by vitrification method. Methods: Oocytes were collected from 5 to 6 weeks old ICR female mice, and were denuded from the cumulus cells by 0.1% hyaluronidase. Recovered mature oocytes in study group were cryopreserved by vitrification method using EM grid for $5{\sim}7$ days. In brief, oocytes were exposed in dPBS containing 1.5 M EG and 5.5 M EG+1 M sucrose for 2.5 minutes and 20 seconds each, and then executed vitrification by plunging in LN2 after loading on EM grid. Thawing treated by exposure of 1, 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125 M sucrose solution for 2.5 minutes each in order and used for experiments. Spermatozoa aspirated form the epididymis of 12 weeks old ICR male mice were used for insemination after capacitation. T6 media containing 0.4% BSA were used for fertilization and development. Results: Survival and fertilization rates after thawing were 76.9% and 79.6% respectively. Fertilization rate was lower (p<0.005) than that of control group (92.9%). There was no difference in embryo developmental rates from 2-cell to morula, however, the blastocyst formation rate and mean cell numbers of blastocysts in study group (63.3%, $58.9{\pm}9.2$) were lower compared with those of control group (76.1%, $63.5{\pm}8.9$). Conclusion: Vitrification is an effective method for mouse mature oocyte cryopreservation with high survival and fertilization rate after thawing. And in simple media, fertilization rates and embryo development of frozen-thawed mouse oocytes are satisfactory.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.56-56
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• 2001

The exogenous gene transfer by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure has been recently used to produce transgenic mice and pigs. Sperm-mediated DNA transfer has the potential to markedly simplify the generation of transgenic animals. This method may serve as an alternative to the pronucleus injection of DNA for the production of transgenic pigs. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the expression of transgene after co-injection of spermatozoon or sperm head with green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene into in vitro matured porcine oocytes. Spermatozoon and sperm head, that was obtained by sonication, were treated with 0.03% Triton X-100 to remove the membrane. They were preincubated with linearized pEGFP-N1 for 1 min, and then embryos cultured NCSU23 medium for 2.5 days after co-injected of sperm and DNA. We monitored expression of GFP in embryos under epifluorescent microscope. The remove of sperm membrane did not alter the developmental competence of embryos after ICSI. At 7 days following injection, the rates of blastocysts following injection of intact sperm (15.0%), and of sperm with disrupted membrane (14.2%) were higher than that following IVF (10.0%). Porcine oocytes injected with sperm which co-cultured with DNA concentration of 1, 0.1, and 0.01 ng were 60, 65.7 and 75% and 18.5, 37.4 and 22.2% for rates of cleavage and GFP expression, respectively. In vitro matured porcine oocytes injected with sperm and isolated sperm head resulted in 69 and 59.7% of cleavage rates, respectively The rates of embryo GFP expressed did not significantly different between sperm (20.4%) and sperm head (20.0%) injection. The transgenic embryos with the clusters of positive blastomeres were observed under fluorescent microscope. Most of embryos expressed GFP gene showed mosaicism. They showed GFP expression at 1/4, 2/4 and 3/4 of blastomeres at the 4-cell stage. Among these 4-cell embryos, the expression rate of 1/4 blastomere group (54.6%) was higher than the other groups (15.3-30.7%). These results indicate that membrane disrupted sperm could attach with exogenous DNA, and that this procedure may be useful to introduce foreign gene into porcine oocytes. Therefore, our data suggest that the ICSI car be a useful tool to efficiently produce transgenic pig as well as other mammals.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2002

In oocyte retrieval, a vein anesthetic drug is commonly used for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia. Propofol and Thiopental sodium are frequently used for ultrasound-guided transvaginal oocyte retrieval. The present study aimed to assess the effects of Propofol and Thiopental on in vitro fertilization(IVF). Immature porcine oocytes were exposed to various concentrations ot Propofo1 and Thiopental sodium. The rates of oocyte maturation, fertilization and development were observed. The parthenogenetic effects of the anesthetics were also evaluated. The rate of oocyte maturation after exposure to high concentrations of the anesthetics for long time was significantly higher than that of the control. But the rate of fertilization after long-time exposure to the high concentration of the anesthetic drugs was significantly lower than that of the control. The results support that Propofo1 serves like other anesthetics described, as a parthenogenetic activator. Oocytes exposed to Thiopental sodium showed decreased rates of maturation and fertilization. These results suggest that usage of optimum concentration of anesthetic drug is important in increasing the rates of oocyte maturation, fertilization and development in IVF.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-52
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• 2005

The effects of cytochalasin B was studied for the cleavage and development of in vitro matured porcine follicular oocytes. The follicular oocytes were collected from slaughtered pig ovaries and matured for 65 hours. The matured oocytes were activated by 7% ethanol(v/v) in DPBS and the activated oocytes were subjected to cytochalasin B concentrations of 2.5, 5.0 and $7.5\;{\mu}g/mL$ for 3, 5 and 7 hours, and then the treated oocytes were cultured in NCSU23 with 0.4% BSA for 7 days. The cleavage rates were not different significantly in each treatment. However, the oocytes treated with $5.0\;{\mu}g/mL$ for 5 hours yielded a significantly higher morula rate(19.7%) than oocytes treated with $2.5\;{\mu}g/mL$ for 3 and 5 hours(9.4%). The sum rate of $2.5\;{\mu}g/mL$ concentration(10.5%) by hour was also significantly lower than those of 5.0(18.0%) and $7.5\;{\mu}g/mL$ concentration(14.6%). The blastocyst rate in oocytes treated with $5.0\;{\mu}g/mL$ for 3(9.4%) and 5 hours(9.0%) was significantly higher than the rate in oocytes treated with $2.5\;{\mu}g/mL$ for 3 hours(0%). The sum rate of $5.0\;{\mu}g/mL$ concentration also significantly higher than those of 2.5 and $7.5\;{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. The results demonstrated that the treatment of oocytes with cytochalasin B of $5.0\;{\mu}g/mL$ for $3{\sim}5$ hours was the optimal concentration and duration for parthenogenetic activation and blastocyst formation of in vitro matured porcine oocytes.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2004

The present study was carried out to examine the effect of four different media (NCSU (North Carolina State University)-23, PZM (Porcine Zygotes Medium)-3, PZM-4 and TCM (Tissue Culture Medium)-l99) and two oxygen concentrations (39 , 5% $O_2$, 5% $CO_2$ and 90% $N_2$, 5% $CO_2$ in air) on in vitro production of porcine IVM/IVF embryos. The results were summarized as follows: The rates of GVBD and nuclear maturations were not significantly different (p>0.05) for 44 hours of culture with four media in two oxygen concentrations. The rates of polyspermy, penetrated sperm(s) and male and female prouclei formation were not significantly different (p>0.05). among four media in two oxygen concentrations. The cleavage rates were not significantly different (p>0.05) among four media in two oxygen concentrations. At day 7 under gas atmosphere of 5% $O_2$, 5% $CO_2$ and 90% $N_2$, the blastocyst formation was significantly higher (p<0.05) in PZM-3 (19.9$\pm$2.4) than other media. Also, NCSU-23 medium gave high rate of blastocyst formation at day 7 under gas atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$ in air (p<0.05). Based on the result of differential staining of porcine blastocyst at dat 7, inner cell mass cell and total cell numbers were not significantly different (p>0.05) among four media in two oxygen concentrations. However, the observed total cell number was higher in PZM-3 medium (36.8$\pm$6.5) than other madia. In conclusion, these results suggested that in vitro production of porcine embryos in PZM-3 medium under a gas atmosphere of 5% $O_2$, 5% $CO_2$ and 90% $N_2$ was effective on the blastocyst formation rate and total blastocyst cell number.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.213-221
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• 1998

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been widely used to treat couples with infertility due to severely impaired sperm charateristics and for whom conventional in-vitro fertilization (IVF) had failed. The extent to which the morphology of the oocyte at the light microscopy level is related to the results of ICSI vis controversial. In this study, oocytes from 44 patients were reviewed. The ICSI procedure was recorded through CCD camera. The oocytes were divided into five groups according to the presence of cytoplasmic inclusions, the width of perivitelline space (PVS), the presence of cell debris in PVS, the status of first polar body and the flexibility of oolemma. The results showed that the fertilization rate and embryonic development were not associated with the morphological criteria of oocyte. The degeneraton rate of oocytes after ICSI was significantly higher (P<0.001) in the oocytes whose membranes were broken at the moment of insertion (17.7%) than the oocytes whose membranes were broken by aspiration of cytoplasm (1.6%). More oocytes with cytoplasmic inclusions (48.4% vs. 25.1%, p<0.001), wide PVS (35.2% vs. 19.0%, p<0.001), or cell debris in PVS (53.3% vs. 38.4%, p<0.05) were observed in patients with female factor infertility compared to patients with male factor infertility. These results .suggest that the fertilization rate and embryonic development after ICSI are not correlated with oocyte morphology based on the presence of cytoplasmic inclusions, size of PVS, the presence of cell debris in PVS and the status of polar body. And the degeneration rate of oocytes after ICSI was associated with the flexibility of oolemma.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.175-181
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• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate an effective recipient oocyte and culture system for producing of Hanwoo (Korean native cattle) somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos. Hanwoo ear skin fibroblasts were used as donor cells. In vitro matured Hanwoo or Holstein oocytes were enucleated, and single donor cells were transferred into the perivitelline space of the enucleated oocytes. The couplets were subsequently fused and activated. The reconstructed embryos were cultured in a conventional or sequential culture system. In the former, embryos were cultured in CR2aa medium for eight days; in the latter, embryos were cultured in modified CR2aa-A (mCR2-A) for three days and then further cultured in modified CR2aa-B (mCR2-B) for five days. In the experiment with the recipient oocyte, the rate of embryo development to the blastocyst stage was significantly (p<0.05) higher in Hanwoo recipient oocytes than in Holstein ones (48.8% vs 38.9%). BIastocysts derived from Hanwoo recipient oocytes contained significantly (p<0.05) higher numbers of total cells than those derived from Holstein recipient oocytes ($156.0{\pm}68.2$ vs $134.7{\pm}54.8$). There was no difference in the mean proportion of apoptotic cells in blastocysts between the sources of recipient oocytes. In the experiment with the embryo culture system, the blastocyst rate was somewhat higher in sequential system than in conventional system (50.0% vs 43.5%), though there was no significant difference. The numbers of total ($160.0{\pm}69.0$ vs $156.7{\pm}68.4$) and apoptotic cells ($14.0{\pm}10.4$ vs $11.8{\pm}6.4$) were not different between the culture systems. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that Hanwoo recipient oocytes and the sequential culture system were more effective in supporting the production of Hanwoo SCNT embryos.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.369-375
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• 2011

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol on blastocysts development and subsequent cryosurvival of the vitrification. The ${\alpha}$-tocopherol(0, 100, 200, 400 ${\mu}M$) was added in to culture medium for the bovine embryos. The blasocysts from the ${\alpha}$-tocopherol and untreated control groups were then frozen-thawed, and their cryosurvival was assessed by in vitro culture for 48 h. There were no differences in the overall cleavage rate($56.14{\pm}4.66$, $58.18{\pm}4.70$, $62.97{\pm}6.86$ and $51.17{\pm}7.28$) among four treatment groups. However, in blastocyst development and total cell number were significantly higher in ${\alpha}$-tocopherol 200 ${\mu}M$ ($38.60{\pm}7.12$; $106.33{\pm}3.50$) to culture medium than other treatment groups($29.30{\pm}5.24$, $31.60{\pm}7.12$ and $26.37{\pm}4.18$; $101.36{\pm}5.12$, $97.27{\pm}2.87$, and $91.23{\pm}7.52$ respectively). Before and after vitrification, the total cell number and blastocyst development of embryo were significantly higher in July to August than September to October. In conclusion, addition of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol 200 ${\mu}M$ to in vitro bovine embryo culture medium was beneficial for improving embryo quality by decreasing the embryo damage blsstocysts cell number and improving the tolerance of the embryos to cryopreservation.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the expression pattern of Trypsin-like enzyme and the effect of a trypsin inhibitor(benzimidine) on hatching process during in-vitro culture of mouse preimplantation embryos. The Trypsin-like enzyme was identified by rhodamine-conjugated Trypsin substrate probe. The expression of trypsin-like enzyme was firstly detected at the late morula stage, and the enzyme was uniformly localized in the trophectoderm of late blastocysts. Especially, intense fluorescence was observed in the blebbing area of hatching blastocysts. Bisbenzamidine, contained in culture media, did not alter embryonic development from 4-cell stage to the expanded blastocyst but decrease the hatching rate in ImM concentration (15.8% vs 89.7%, p<0.02). In the treatment of bisbenzimidine (5mM) for 12 hours according to the embryonic stage of mouse, the hatching rate of control (83.0%) and treatment in late blastocysts (8.7%) were significantly (p<0.01) different. From these results, we suggested that the hatching enzyme having trypsin-like activity was localized from the late morula stage, and the hatching process by this enzyme was activated in the late blastocyst stage of mouse embryos.