• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.231-235
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• 2009

Oxygen consumption has been regarded as a useful indicator for assessment of mammalian embryo quality. However, there was no standard criterion to measure the oxygen consumption of embryos. Here, we measured oxygen consumption of bovine embryos at various developmental stages was measured using a scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). We found that the oxygen consumption significantly increased in blastocyst-stage embryos compared to other stage embryos (from 2-cell-stage to morula-stage), indicating that oxygen consumption reflects the cell number ($5.2{\sim}7.6{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$ versus $1.2{\sim}2.4{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$, p<0.05). In the morula-stage embryos, the oxygen consumption of in vivo derived embryos was significantly higher than that of in vitro produced embryos ($4.0{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$ versus $2.4{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$, p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in consumption of oxygen by in vivo and in vitro-derived bovine blastocyst-stage embryos (p>0.05). In the frozen-thawed blastocyst-stage embryos, live embryos showed significantly higher oxygen consumption than dead embryos ($4.7{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$ versus $1.0{\times}10^{14}/mol\;s^{-1}$, p<0.05). These results indicate that the measuring oxygen consumption by SECM can be used to evaluate bovine embryo quality.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.29-36
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• 2015

Pigs are considered an ideal source of human disease model due to their physiological similarities to humans. However, the low efficiency of in vitro embryo production (IVP) is still a major barrier in the production of pig offspring with gene manipulation. Despite ongoing advances in the associated technologies, the developmental capacity of IVP pig embryos is still lower than that of their in vivo counterparts, as well as IVP embryos of other species (e.g., cattle and mice). The efficiency of IVP can be influenced by many factors that affect various critical steps in the process. The previous relevant reviews have focused on the in vitro maturation system, in vitro culture conditions, in vitro fertilization medium, issues with polyspermy, the utilized technologies, etc. In this review, we concentrate on factors that have not been fully detailed in prior reviews, such as the oocyte morphology, oocyte recovery methods, denuding procedures, first polar body morphology and embryo quality.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.248-258
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• 2022

Objective: This research investigated the effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)-producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) on the implantation rate and embryo attachment in mice. Methods: In this experimental study, a DNA fragment of the HCG gene was cloned into an expression vector, which was transfected into PBMCs. The concentration of the produced HCG was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Embryo attachment was investigated on the co-cultured endometrial cells and PBMCs in vitro. As an in vivo experiment, intrauterine administration of PBMCs was done in plaque-positive female mice. Studied mice were distributed into five groups: control, embryo implantation dysfunction (EID), EID with produced HCG, EID with PBMCs, and EID with HCG-producing PBMCs. Uterine horns were excised to characterize the number of implantation sites and pregnancy rate on day 7.5 post-coitum. During an implantation window, the mRNA expression of genes was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: DNA fragments were cloned between the BamHI and EcoRI sites in the vector. About 465 pg/mL of HCG was produced in the transfected PBMCs. The attachment rate, pregnancy rate, and the number of implantation sites were substantially higher in the HCG-producing PBMCs group than in the other groups. Significantly elevated expression of the target genes was observed in the EID with HCG-producing PBMCs group. Conclusion: Alterations in gene expression following the intrauterine injection of HCG-producing PBMCs, could be considered a possible cause of increased embryo attachment rate, pregnancy rate, and the number of implantation sites.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.275-281
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• 2008

The ability to preselect the sex of piglets is advantageous in the pig industry. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with sorted spermatozoa to produce piglets with a preselected sex. Pig embryos were produced by ICSI of frozen X- and Y-sperm that had been separated by flow cytometry. The developmental competence of the embryos was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The populations of X- and Y-spermatozoa were 52.7% and 47.3%, respectively in our samples. The in vitro development of ICSI embryos was enhanced by longer of in vitro maturation of oocytes ($44{\sim}48\;h$ vs. $40{\sim}43\;h$). Their cleavage ($65{\sim}70%$) and blastocyst formation ($9{\sim}12%$) rates were not significantly different between male and female ICSI embryos, or between sorted and unsorted sperm-derived embryos. One pregnancy was established in a recipient that was transferred with 110 female ICSI embryos, but the pregnancy was terminated on Day 89 of gestation. Our results suggest that the separation X- and Y-spermatozoa by flow cytometric sorting can be a useful tool in combination with ICSI for the production of pig embryos and piglets of preselected sex.

• 한국해양바이오학회지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.33-42
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• 2022

Tacrolimus, a type of macrolide produced by Streptomyces tsukubaensis, is widely used as an immunosuppressant. However, continuous exposure to tacrolimus causes oxidative stress in normal cells, ultimately inducing cell injury. Therefore, this study investigated whether luthione, a reduced glutathione, could inhibit tacrolimus-induced cytotoxicity in olive flounder (hirame) natural embryo (HINAE) cells. According to the results, luthione significantly inhibited tacrolimus-induced reduction in cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Additinally, although luthione unaffected autophagy by tacrolimus, tacrolimus-induced apoptosis was significantly suppressed in the presence of luthione. Luthione also markedly blocked DNA damage in tacrolimus-treated HINAE cells, associated with the inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Additionally, tacrolimus cytotoxicity in HINAE cells was correlated with increased inflammatory response, also attenuated by luthione. Collectively, these results show that at least luthione protects HINAE cells against tacrolimus-induced DNA damage, apoptosis, and inflammation, but not autophagy, by scavenging ROS. Although additional in-vivo studies are required, this study's results can be used as a basis for utilizing luthione to reduce the toxicity of fish cells caused by excessive immune responses.

• BMB Reports
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• 제45권10호
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• pp.577-582
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• 2012

single-minded (sim) is a master regulatory gene that directs differentiation in the central nervous system during Drosophila embryogenesis. Recent identification of the mesectoderm enhancer (MSE) of sim has led to the hypothesis that two Snail (Sna)-binding sites in the MSE may repress sim expression in the presumptive mesoderm. We provide evidence here that three Sna-binding sites proximal to the sim promoter, but not those of the MSE, are responsible for the mesodermal repression of sim in vivo. Using transgenic embryos injected with lacZ transgenes, we showed that sim repression in the mesoderm requires the three promoter-proximal Sna-binding sites. These results suggest that Sna represses the mesectodermal expression of sim by directly repressing the nearby promoter, and not by quenching adjacent transcriptional activators in the MSE. These data also showed how the MSE, lacking the three proximal Sna-binding sites, reproduced the endogenous pattern of sim expression in transgenic embryos.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.237-247
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• 2009

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is the major neurohormone secreted during the night by the vertebrate pineal gland. The circadian pattern of pineal melatonin secretion is related to the biological clock within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus in mammals. The SCN coordinates the body's rhythms to the environmental light-dark cycle in response to light perceived by the retina, which acts mainly on retinal ganglion cells that contain the photopigment melanopsin. Calbindin-D9k (CaBP-9k) is a member of the S100 family of intracellular calcium- binding proteins, and in this review, we discuss the involvement of melatonin and CaBP-9k with respect to calcium homeostasis and apoptotic cell death. In future studies, we hope to provide important information on the roles played by CaBP-9k in cell signal transduction, cell proliferation, and $Ca^{2+}$ homeostasis in vivo and in vitro.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.163-168
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• 2005

혈통이 등록된 우수한 한우 공란우로부터 회수한 수정란을 간편한 방법으로 성 판별하여 우수한 암송아지를 생산하고자 실시한 결과는 다음과 같다. 회수한 수정란을 punching 또는 bisection 방법으로 biopsy하여 Loop-mediated isothermal amplification법으로 성 판별하였으며, 암컷으로 예측되는 성 판별 수정란을 6두의 수란우에 이식하여 2두가 임신되었고, 수정란 이식 후 278일과 285일에 정상적인 암컷 송아지를 각각 분만하였다. 분만된 송아지 바란이와 보란이의 생시체중은 각각 18kg 및 25kg이었으며, 90일령 보정체중은 각각 61.1kg 및 88.8kg으로 일당증체량은 0.48kg 및 0.71kg이었다.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.47-51
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• 1991

This study investigated full-term development potential of ultrarap idly frozen and thawed mouse 2-cell embryos. Mouse 2-cell embryos, dehydrated by exposure to freezing medium, were directly immersed into liquid nitrogen and thawed in 37$^{\circ}C$ water. The embryos that were frozen and thawed were cultured in uitro and transferred to foster mothers to examine there developmental potential. As a result, the frozen-thawed 2-cell embryos developed to blastocysts in vitro as a similar rate as control 2-cell embryos did(in vitro 2-cell, 86.4%; in vivo 2-cell, 90.9%; solution control, 89.9%; control, 89.7%). Normal live young were obtained from transfer of frozen-thawed embryos to the oviduct and uterus of pseudopregnant recipients (3l.4~56.7%).

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.50-56
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• 2019

These studies were conducted to evaluate developmental competence of follicular oocyte collected from the ovaries of Hanwoo cows with the high offspring meat quality (1++ and 1+ grade). Cumulus oocyte complexes from individual cows were matured, fertilized and cultured using protocols of in-vitro maturation (IVM), invitro fertilization (IVF) and in-vitro culture (IVC). The rates of blastocyst development from Hanwoo cows with the offspring meat quality grades of 1++ and 1+ were 18.6 and 21.2%, respectively. The rates of blastocyst development were 26.3, 20.7, 20.7, 17.2 and 31.2% from Hanwoo cows with the meat quality grades of 1++, 1+, 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Fiftyseven transferable embryos were recovered from 11 Hanwoo donor cows (5.2/head) with the high offspring meat quality grades of 1++ and 1+ in vivo, and the pregnancy rate after embryo transfer was 61.1%. In conclusion, these results suggest that in vitro embryo production from the ovaries of cows with the high meat quality grades using individual culture system can be used an efficient method for livestock improvement. In addition, for the successful industrialization of embryo transfer, conception rate should be improved.