• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.281-287
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• 2013

In mammal, unfertilized oocytes remain in the oviduct or under in vitro culture, which is called "oocyte aging". This asynchrony negatively affects fertilization in pre- and post-implantation embryo development. Caffeine a phosphodiesterase inhibitor is known to rescue oocyte aging in several species. The objective of this study is to determine the cytoskeleton distribution in aged oocytes and the embryo developmental ability of aged oocytes in the present or absence of caffeine during maturation. Caffeine treatment increased the incidence of normal spindle assembly of aged oocytes (treatment, $67.57{\pm}4.11%$ aging, $44.61{\pm}6.4%$) and no significant differences compared to control group. Fluorescence values were compared using ROS (Reactive oxidation species) stain. Fluorescence values appear of control group intensity rate ($51.53.{\pm}3.80$), aging group ($68.10{\pm}5.54$) and treatment of caffeine ($45.04{\pm}2.98$). Aged oocytes that were derived from addition of caffeine to the IVM (in vitro maturation) medium had significantly increased 2-cell that developed to the blastocyst stage compared to the aging group. Blastocysts, derived from caffeine treatment group, significantly increased the total cell number compare aging ($90.44{\pm}10.18$ VS $67.88{\pm}7.72$). Apoptotic fragments of genomic DNA were measured in individual embryo using TUNEL assay. Blastocyst derived from caffeine treatment group decreased significantly the apoptotic index compared to blastocyst derived from aging group. In conclusion, we inferred that the caffeine treatment during oocyte aging can improve the developmental rate and quality in bovine embryos developing in vitro.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2018

In this study, we analyzed signal transduction by equine follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (eFSHR) on sti- mulation with recombinant $eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ ($rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$), natural porcine FSH (pFSH), and natural human FSH (hFSH). cAMP stimulation in CHO-K1 cells expressing eFSHR was determined upon exposure to different doses (0-1450 ng/mL) of these hormones. The $EC_{50}$ value of $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was 53.35 ng/mL. The Rmax values of $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ and pFSH were 28.12 and 2.88 ng/mL, respectively. The activity of $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was much higher than that of natural pFSH. However, signal transduction in CHO PathHunter Parental cells expressing eFSHR was not enhanced by stimulation with natural hFSH. Thus, $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was completely active in cells expressing eFSHR. However, natural hFSH did not invoke a signal response in cells expressing eFSHR. Particularly, natural pFSH was weakly active in the same cells. These results showed that $eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ has potent activity in cells expressing eFSHR. Thus, $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ may efficiently bind to eFSHR, where as natural hFSH does not bind to eFSHR.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2013

The karyotype of Korean short-hair cat was presented using the G-, C- and NOR-banding techniques. For chromosomes preparation, the fetus skin fibroblast cells were cultured and metaphases were obtained. In results, the Korean short-hair cat had 38 chromosomes with XX or XY, which consisted of 5 pairs of metacentric chromosomes(Group A and C), 3 pairs of submetacentric chromosomes (Group B), 6 pairs of medium metacentric chromosomes except for 1 pair of medium submetacentric D2 chromosomes (Group D, E), 2 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes(Group F) and metacentric X and Y sex chromosomes. In G-banding analysis, the Korean short-hair cat exhibited a typical and identical G-banding pattern in each homologous chromosome. Total number of bands and landmarks on the G-banded chromosomes of Korean short-hair cat well correspond to those of international standardization of karyotype of domestic cat. The heterochromatins of Korean short-hair cat chromosomes distributed at terminal and/or centromere regions on almost chromosomes by C-banding analysis. In addition, the C-banding pattern showed greatly heteromorphic in some chromosomes. Using the AgNOR-staining, we found the nucleolar organizer regions(NORs) of Korean short-hair cat located at chromosomes 1p12 site in E group. The quantity and number of NORs were constant among cells.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.97-104
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• 2015

Glucose is universal and essential fuel of energy metabolism and in the synthesis pathways of all mammalian cells. Glucose is the one of the major precursors of lactose synthesis using glycolysis result in producing milk fat and protein. During the milk fat synthesis, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and CD36 are required for glucose uptake. Various morecules such as acyl-CoA synthetase 1 (ACSL1) activity of acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2), ACACA, FASN AGPAT6, GPAM, LPIN1 are closely related with milk fat synthesis. Additionally, glucose plays a major role for synthesizing lactose. Activations of lactose synthesize enzymes such as membranebound enzyme, beta-1,4-galactosyl transferase (B4GALT), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) are changed by concentration of glucose in blood resulting change of amount of lactose production. Glucose transporters are a wide group of membrane proteins that facilitate the transport of glucose over a plasma membrane. There are 2 types of glucose transporters which consisted facilitative glucose transporters (GLUT); and sodium-dependent transport, mediated by the Na+/glucose cotransporters (SGLT). Among them, GLUT1, GLUT8, GLUT12, SGLT1, SGLT2 are main glucose transporters which involved in mammary gland development and milk synthesis. However, more studies are required for revealing clear mechanism and function of other unknown genes and transporters. Therefore, understanding of the mechanisms of glucose usage and its regulation in mammary gland is very essential for enhancing the glucose utilization in the mammary gland and improving dairy productivity and efficiency.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2014

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are approximately 22 nucleotides of small noncoding RNAs that control gene expression at the posttranscriptional level through translational inhibition and destabilization of their target mRNAs. The miRNAs are phylogenetically conserved and have been shown to be instrumental in a wide variety of key biological processes including cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, metabolism, imprinting, and differentiation. Recently, a paper has shown that expression of the miRNA-302/367 cluster expressed abundantly in mouse and human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can directly reprogram mouse and human somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) efficiently in the absence of any of the four factors, Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4. To apply this efficient method to porcine, we analyzed porcine genomic sequence containing predicted porcine miRNA-302/367 cluster through ENSEMBL database, generated a non-replicative episomal vector system including miRNA-302/367 cluster originated from porcine embryonic fibroblasts (PEF), and tried to make porcine iPSCs by transfection of the miRNA-302/367 cluster. Colonies expressing EGFP and forming compact shape were found, but they were not established as iPSC lines. Our data in this study show that pig miRNA-302/367 cluster could not satisfy requirement of PEF reprogramming conditions for pluripotency. To make pig iPSC lines by miRNA, further studies on the role of miRNAs in pluripotency and new trials of transfection with conventional reprogramming factors are needed.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.15 no.4 s.42
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• pp.487-494
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• 2005

In order to estimated a reason of soil slope failure new measurement technology is demanded to measure a variation of volumetric water content which is a key physical parameter for understanding the slope failure in the field. In this study a laboratory soil tank test were conducted to use RDB and ADR measurement probes for measuring the variation of volumetric water content. These experiments were compared with two physical parameters as volumetric water content and pressure water head which are estimated to the compacted weathered granite soil under the artificial rainfall, 7.5mm/hour, in the whole of two stages. From the results the variation of volumetric water content and pressure water head is represented to nearly similar travel time.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2015

Preservation of liquid semen is an important factor for breeding management in swine industry. Oxidative stress of spermatozoa during liquid preservation has a detrimental effect on sperm quality and decreases fertility. Objective of this study was to determine the effect of antioxidant, Quercetin, on capability of porcine liquid semen preservation. Freshly collected porcine semen from boars (n=3), having proven fertility was counted, diluted to $3{\times}10^7/mL$ and divided into 5 different semen extenders. Aliquots of diluted semen with different extenders were subjected to measure the pH, motility, viability and sperm DNA structure status on elapse time after preservation for 10 days. For the first 3 days, semen preserved in all 5 different extenders maintained their initial pH and either gradually decreased or increased thereafter, indicating lipid peroxidation has started. Sperm motility (r=0.52, p=0.01) and viability (r=0.55, p=0.03) had positive correlation with semen pH. Sperm motility was maintained well (p<0.05) in especially 2 extenders containing Tris and antioxidant compared to other extenders, suggesting both Tris and antioxidant worked as pH regulator and had beneficial effects on sperm characteristic during preservation. Sperm DNA structure status accessed by sperm chromatin structure assay on elapsed time after preservation, tended to be higher in semen preserved without antioxidant. Taken together, addition of antioxidant to extender prevents the sperm from oxidative stress during storage in mechanism by which antioxidant slows the lipid peroxidation, and thus reduced the reactive oxygen species in preserved porcine semen resulted in maintaining semen pH, sperm motility and viability for 7~10 days.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.79-83
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• 2013

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been known to affect to cell migration, proliferation, morphogenesis and apoptosis by degrading the extracellular matrix. In the previous studies, undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) were successfully proliferated inside the extracellular matrix (ECM) analog-conjugated three-dimensional (3D) poly ethylene glycol (PEG)-based hydrogel. However, there is no report about MMP secretion in ESCs, which makes it difficult to understand and explain how ESCs enlarge space and proliferate inside 3D PEG-based hydrogel constructed by crosslinkers containing MMP-specific cleavage peptide sequence. Therefore, we investigated what types of MMPs are released from undifferentiated ESCs and how extracellular signals derived from various niche conditions affect MMP expression of ESCs at the transcriptional level. Results showed that undifferentiated ESCs expressed specifically MMP2 and MMP3 mRNAs. Transcriptional up-regulation of MMP2 was caused by the 3D scaffold, and activation of integrin inside the 3D scaffold upregulated MMP2 mRNAs synergistically. Moreover, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) on 2D matrix and 3D scaffold induced upregulation of MMP3 mRNAs, and activation of integrins through conjugation of extracellular matrix (ECM) analogs with 3D scaffold upregulated MMP3 mRNAs synergistically. These results suggest that successful proliferation of ESCs inside the 3D PEG-based hydrogel may be caused by increase of MMP2 and MMP3 expression resulting from 3D scaffold itself as well as activation of integrins inside the 3D PEG-based scaffold.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.213-217
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of bacterial contamination on elapsed time after preservation on boar semen. Known numbers of Escherichia coli (E. coli) were inoculated to freshly ejaculated semen and sperm parameters such as viability, motility, agglutination, acrosome integrity and hypo-osmotic swelling test were performed during 7 days of liquid preservation. Semen samples were prepared using antibiotic free BTS extender and 4 different levels of E. coli were treated to semen with following concentrations; 3,000, 5,000, 7,000, 10,000 CFU/ml of sperms. Semen samples were preserved at $17^{\circ}C$ for 7 days in semen storage until analyzed. Aliquots were subjected to measure the sperm viability, motility and agglutination using computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system, acrosome integrity was performed using chlortetracycline (CTC) staining method and hypo-osmotic swelling test was performed using hypotonic solution from day 1 (day of semen collection) to 7. Detrimental effects on sperm motility and viability were observed 3 days after preservation at the level of 5,000 CFU/ml (p<0.05). Percentage of sperm abnormality was higher (p<0.05) in over 5,000 CFU/ml groups. Sperm agglutination rate was also significantly higher (p<0.05) in groups of 5,000 and 7,000 CFU/ml. The rate of acrosome reacted sperm was higher as preservation time goes in all the samples but the pattern was clearly higher among E. coli contaminated groups (p<0.05). The sperm membrane integrity in terms of hypo-osmotic test, E. coli affects little compared to other sperm parameters. The deleterious effects observed due to the bacterial contamination in semen suggest that importance of hygiene protocol to minimize the bacterial contamination during semen collection and processing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.141-149
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• 2018

In a PCB factory, there is a corrosive chemical substance supply system that can causes major leakage accidents. These accidents can give rise to shut down the factory and do residents damage that cause enormous loss of properties. To mitigate these risks, it is necessary to provide a chemical disaster prevention system. Moreover, after considering the situation and environment of the production site, it is of great importance to build an optimal chemical accident prevention system by reflecting risk reduction measures from the point of process design and by assessing quantitative risk based on reliability data. However, because there was no established database of the reliability about facilities and equipment that can be used in the domestic, the business site and consulting organization had being used the reliability data such as USA CCPS(Center for Chemical Process Safety). In these days, Korean institutes are studying on reliability data utilization method of quantitative risk assessment for preventing chemical accidents and domestic utilization algorithms and storage bed of reliability data. This study presents samples of reliability database about the chemical substance supply system that constructed from the history data such as failure, maintenance for 10 years at a PCB factory. Also, this work proposes the safety design criteria for supply facilities of corrosive chemical substance by assessing quantitative risk on the basis of the reliability data.