• Development and Reproduction
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.243-252
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• 2015

The pregnancy and abortion process involves a complex mechanism with various immune cells present in the implantation sites and several hormones associated with pregnancy, such as leptin, ghrelin and nesfatin-1. However, the mechanism underlying spontaneous abortion by maternal T helper 17 (Th17) present in the implantation sites and nesfatin-1, which is of anorexigenic hormones, is not fully understood so far. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the possible roles of Th17 cells present in the implantation sites and nesfatin-1 expressed in the uterus on spontaneous abortion using the $CBA/j{\times}DBA/2$ mouse model. Th17 transcription factor, ROR-${\gamma}t$ mRNA expression was significantly increased in the abortion sites compared with the implantation sites of abortion model mice on day 14.5 and 19.5 of pregnancy. In addition, the expression levels of IL-17A mRNA were significantly higher in abortion sites than in implantation sites on day 14.5 and 19.5. Moreover, the nesfatin-1/NUCB2 protein and mRNA levels were increased in abortion sites compared with levels in implantation sites of both normal pregnant and abortion model mice on day 14.5 of pregnancy. Interestingly, nesfatin-1/NUCB2 serum levels were not changed throughout the whole pregnancy in abortion model mice, but its serum level was dramatically increased on day 14.5, and then rapidly decreased on day 19.5 in normal pregnant mice. In this study, we showed for the first time the expression of nesfatin-1/NUCB2 mRNA and protein in implantation sites during pregnancy. The present results suggest that Th17 cells in the uterus may play an important role in the period of implantation and for maintenance of pregnancy. Furthermore, the present results suggest that Th17 cells in implantation sites may be a key regulator for maintenance of pregnancy and provides evidence that activation of these cells may be regulated by nesfatin-1/NUCB2. Further study is needed to elucidate the role of nesfatin-1 expressed in the uterus during pregnancy.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2020

Objective: Despite extensive research on implantation failure, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between the embryo and the maternal endometrium, which is critical for successful pregnancy. Profilin 1 (PFN1), which is expressed both in the embryo and in the endometrial epithelium, acts as a potent regulator of actin polymerization and the cytoskeletal network. In this study, we identified the specific role of endometrial PFN1 during embryo implantation. Methods: Morphological alterations depending on the status of PFN1 expression were assessed in PFN1-depleted or control cells grown on Matrigel-coated cover glass. Day-5 mouse embryos were cocultured with Ishikawa cells. Comparisons of the rates of F-actin formation and embryo attachment were performed by measuring the stability of the attached embryo onto PFN1-depleted or control cells. Results: Depletion of PFN1 in endometrial epithelial cells induced a significant reduction in cell-cell adhesion displaying less formation of colonies and a more circular cell shape. Mouse embryos co-cultured with PFN1-depleted cells failed to form actin cytoskeletal networks, whereas more F-actin formation in the direction of surrounding PFN1-intact endometrial epithelial cells was detected. Furthermore, significantly lower embryo attachment stability was observed in PFN1-depleted cells than in control cells. This may have been due to reduced endometrial receptivity caused by impaired actin cytoskeletal networks associated with PFN1 deficiency. Conclusion: These observations definitively demonstrate an important role of PFN1 in mediating cell-cell adhesion during the initial stage of embryo implantation and suggest a potential therapeutic target or novel biomarker for patients suffering from implantation failure.

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-44
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• 2023

Hexagram Bi (比 ䷇ 8) is one of the hexagrams comprised of one-unbroken line and five-broken lines. The hexagrams of one-unbroken and five-broken lines symbolize the relationship and dynamics between one yang-consciousness and the five-yin unconsciousness. The hexagram of one-unbroken line and five-broken lines has six different images depending on the position of the one unbroken line from the beginning line to the top line. In terms of psychology, this means that the position change of one yang line in relation to five yin lines may symbolize the function of consciousness which clarifies and determines the content of the psyche. In addition, the flow of psychic energy can be examined through the process of one unbroken line's movement. In other words, the psychic contents of the beginning line of hexagram Bok (復 ䷗ 24), which is the beginning of the hexagram of one-unbroken line and five-broken lines, proceed sequentially, and then arrive at the process of the last sixth, hexagram Bak (剝 ䷖ 23) through the fifth, the hexagram Bi (8). That is, it can be said that the content of the hexagram and the line determined according to the position of one unbroken line show a certain psychic flow. As a result, the first hexagram Bok (復 ䷗ 24), after recovering and starting newly, means the beginning of consciousness. After that the process of proceeding with the second, third, and fourth lines represents the flow of consciousness. And in the fifth place, the fifth line of hexagram Bi, it reaches its peak and is placed in the optimal state of consciousness because of its right and centered position at this hexagram Bi. Like nature, the psyche gradually enters the path of decline from the highest state, which leads to the last sixth, the top line of hexagram Bak. However, the top line of the hexagram Bak, where everything falls off, contains the content of starting again in its top line. It is the beginning line of hexagram Bok to inherit this. This means the circumambulation of the psyche that changes from a psychologically difficult state of depression to a stage of recovery. There is a stage that must be passed in this circulation process, and that is the hexagram Gon (坤 ䷁ 2). October(tenth month)'s hexagram Gon is placed between hexagram Bak, the ninth month of the lunar calendar, and hexagram Bok, the eleventh month of the lunar calendar. This represents that the flow of recovery must go through a maternal process of hexagram Gon. The retreat to the psychological uterus is inevitable in regenerating the psyche. This process flows from the hexagram Bak and through hexagram Gon to the hexagram Bok. At this situation the hexagram Gon acts the absolutely necessary role. In addition, the main body of the hexagrams of one-unbroken and five-broken lines, including the Bi hexagram, is also the Gon hexagram composed of six-broken lines. In other words, all six hexagrams of one-unbroken and five-broken lines have a certain relationship with the Gon hexagram, and it would be meaningful to look at the correlation between the unbroken lines of the hexagrams of one-unbroken and five-broken lines and the corresponding broken lines of the hexagram Gon. This can be said to be the dynamics of the maternal unconscious connected to the state of consciousness in six forms. Therefore, each hexagram of one-unbroken and five-broken lines symbolizes the expression of the integration the mother archetype with the consciousness. Revealing this well is the meaning of the hexagram of one-unbroken and five-broken lines. Its hexagram image consists of a combination of Gon (☷), which symbolizes the mother, and the thunder (☳) the eldest son, the water (☵) the middle son and the mountain (☶) the third son. As a result, the hexagram Bok (復 ䷗ 24), Sa (師 ䷆ 7), Gyeom (謙 ䷠ 15), Ye (豫 ䷏ 16), Bi (比 ䷇ 8) and Bak (剝 ䷖ 23) are sequentially created in the order of the unbroken line. This is symbolically the evolutionary process of consciousness. In this way, the hexagrams of one-unbroken and five-broken lines, which mean the conjunction of mother and son, represent the advancing relationship between the maternal unconscious and consciousness. In addition, the relationship with the mother according to the position of the son is related to the dynamics of mother archetype to the attitude of consciousness. The psychological meaning can be deduced from the flow of six lines of hexagrams of one-unbroken and five-broken lines. And the state in which the activation of the consciousness is at its peak is the fifth line of the hexagram Bi, and comparing it with the contents of the corresponding fifth line of hexagram Gon not only can find the state and meaning of the conjunction of consciousness and the maternal unconscious, but the entire flow can be compared to the individuation process.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2008

Purpose : Perinatal asphyxia is an important cause of neonatal mortality and subsequent lifelong neurodevelopmental handicaps. Although many treatment strategies have been tested, there is currently no clinically effective treatment to prevent or reduce the harmful effects of hypoxia and ischemia in humans. In the clinical setting, maternal hyperthermia induces adverse effects on the neonatal brain, but recent studies have shown that hyperthermic pretreatment (PT) plays some role in hypoxic-ischemic (HI) injuries of the developing brain. The present study investigated the effect of hyperthermic PT on HI brain injuries in newborn rats. Methods : HI was produced in 7-day-old neonatal rats by unilateral common carotid artery ligation, followed by hypoxia with 8% oxygen at $38^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours. Twenty-four hours before HI, one-half of the pups were exposed to a $40^{\circ}C$ environment for 2 hours. The severity of the brain injury was assessed 7 days after the HI. Results : Hyperthermic PT reduced the gross and histopathologic findings of brain injury from 64.7 to 31.2% (P<0.05). There were no differences in location and severity of injury between the pretreated and control brains. Conclusion : These findings indicate that hyperthermic PT provides neuroprotective benefits on HI in the developing brain. Also, these findings suggest maternal hyperthermia may have protective effect on perinatal HI brain injuries.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.23-32
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• 1981

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the educational content which had been given by midwifery training program. It was hoped that this result would help. It was sponsored by com-munity health worker plan effective health education. College of Nursing Ewha Womans University and The Korean Nurses Academic Society during the November 19 thru 24, 1979. It was carried out on July through on September 1980, and involved 22 community health workers. The results were as follows: 1. Most of the community health workers came from Seoul ＆ Pusan areas and have been working at the hospitals. There were 31.82% of Head Nurses, 27.2% of Staff Nurses, 22.73% Nurse Supervisons, 13.6% of Nurse Directors and 4.5％ of educational coordinator for Nurses. These participant had nurse-midwifery lincences by 63.64%. None of there had just midwifery lincences. 2, Age structures of the study population shows 31.82% of whom are.26-30 years and 22.73% of whom are 36. 40 years of age. This shown that seniority proportion is higher than the younger. There are 31.82% of 1-5 years, 27.27% of 6-10 year and 11-15 years, respectively by work career. 3. There are 54.55% of the institutions have opened their own midwifery training course for their nursing staff members. Because of lack of the facilities, shortage of instructors, and problems of administrative process. 4. According to the institution which opened for midwifery training courses, the participant was responsible for “midwifery”“Infant care”“MCH”“practice of midwifery”“Nursing adjustment”and“F. P.”5. During the midwifery couse, there were 8 institution who used the textbook and 4 institution who did not. Least of there referned to content matinals which was given by the sponsored. 6. There are 7 insititues who kept their training courses with other professional helps such as physicians., professiors and nurses. Some problems are pointed out by respondents such as“conflict with residents”“poor suportive administration”and“lake of manpower”. 8. The participant showed that they learned new knowledge as trends during this programs for there quality work so it need (one or twice times) a year. But they suggested that it needed more emphasis on the“maternal health care”and“role of the nurse-midwifery”. 9. The analysis of the results are as follows within the 6 areas which are given by the sponsored: There are highest ranks between“basic theory & family planning”“role of midwifery & nursing practice”. In the prenatal care the highest rank ware related to“health risk”on“idenify of risk symtoms”. In the health care areas which related to delivery, the responsers were related to“general conditions”or“high risk criteria”. In the health care area which related to high risk maternity care. In the neonatal health care, the highest rank was related to”health assessment of normal infant”. In the infant health care the responses was related to“abnormal symptoms”and“risk symptoms”. Actually, the participants show that they are more interested in“role of midwifery”“health assessment”and “high risk maternity care”are which emphasised on health promotion, health maintenance & disease preventive. 1) The midwifery training program need higher education for midwifery on a regular basis. 2) Within the open institution of midwifery training program, the nurses must be supported by their own institution and administry of social welfare must give systematic support. Also non-open institution must be open very soon. 3) All health workers including the residents & other workers, must cooperate for their phased common good of impovement of the maternity health. 4) Administration agonies & education institutions must provide the curriculum facilitis and administration systems which are needed for training of nurse-midwifery.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.160-175
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• 1991

The purpose of this study is to investigate the parental marital relationships and the parent-child relationships of child psychiatric parents and its control group. This study was carried out two questionnaire instruments ; The marital satisfaction inventory(MSI) and the dyadic adjustment scale(DAS). The subjects are parents of the child psychiatric patients. A matched control group and parents of child psychiatric parents in Seoul area which were collected from July 1987 to September 1987, and classified into five subgroups : 1 Psychiatric disorder 2) Neurotic disorder 3) Tic disorder 4) Autistic disorder 5) Mental retardation. The results are as following ; 1) M.S.I scale scores of parents of patients group are lower than that of control group. 2) D.A.S scale score of parents of patients group is significantly lower than that of the control group(P<0.01). 3) The global distress scale(GDS) of the M.S.I. was most positively correlated with affective communication(AFC) and problem-sloving communication(PSC). 4) Female shoed more modern concept of role identification than male but tend to have heavier role assignment especially in child rearing practices which could be characterized by maternal domination. 5) Affective communication and sexual relationship between married couple and child rearing practices are influenced by their own family history of distress. 6) The marital global distress scale(GDS) score was highest in the parents of psychosis, the next in the parents of neurosis, autism, mental retardation, and tic disorder in descending order of severity. 7) The dyadic maladjustment score was highest in the parents of psychosis, the next in the parents of neurosis, tic, autism and mental retardation in descending order of severity. 8) Conflict in child rearing and parenting problems were particularly prominent in parents of the tic patients, and their marital relationship was not significantly disturbed. The above finding suggested that couple adjustment and marital dissatisfaction were closely related with child rearing problems and the children's disorder. So marital dissatisfaction and marital maladjustment seem to play a significant role in the genesis of psychosis and neurosis not much in autism and mental retardation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.247-268
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• 1996

It has been known for a long time that gonadotropins and steroid hormones play a pivotal role in a series of reproductive biological phenomena including the maturation of ovarian follicles and oocytes, ovulation and implantation, maintenance of pregnancy and fetal growth & development, parturition and mammary development and lactation. Recent investigations, however, have elucidated that in addition to these classic hormones, multiple growth factors also are involved in these phenomena. Most growth factors in reproductive organs mediate the actions of gonadotropins and steroid hormones or synergize with them in an autocrine/paracrine manner. The insulin-like growth factor(IGF) system, which is one of the most actively investigated areas lately in the reproductive organs, has been found to have important roles in a wide gamut of reproductive phenomena. In the present communication, published literature pertaining to the intrauterine IGF system will be reviewed preceded by general information of the IGF system. The IGF family comprises of IGF-I & IGF-II ligands, two types of IGF receptors and six classes of IGF-binding proteins(IGFBPs) that are known to date. IGF-I and IGF-II peptides, which are structurally homologous to proinsulin, possess the insulin-like activity including the stimulatory effect of glucose and amino acid transport. Besides, IGFs as mitogens stimulate cell division, and also play a role in cellular differentiation and functions in a variety of cell lines. IGFs are expressed mainly in the liver and messenchymal cells, and act on almost all types of tissues in an autocrine/paracrine as well as endocrine mode. There are two types of IGF receptors. Type I IGF receptors, which are tyrosine kinase receptors having high-affinity for IGF-I and IGF-II, mediate almost all the IGF actions that are described above. Type II IGF receptors or IGF-II/mannose-6-phosphate receptors have two distinct binding sites; the IGF-II binding site exhibits a high affinity only for IGF-II. The principal role of the type II IGF receptor is to destroy IGF-II by targeting the ligand to the lysosome. IGFs in biological fluids are mostly bound to IGFBP. IGFBPs, in general, are IGF storage/carrier proteins or modulators of IGF actions; however, as for distinct roles for individual IGFBPs, only limited information is available. IGFBPs inhibit IGF actions under most in vitro situations, seemingly because affinities of IGFBPs for IGFs are greater than those of IGF receptors. How IGF is released from IGFBP to reach IGF receptors is not known; however, various IGFBP protease activities that are present in blood and interstitial fluids are believed to play an important role in the process of IGF release from the IGFBP. According to latest reports, there is evidence that under certain in vitro circumstances, IGFBP-1, -3, -5 have their own biological activities independent of the IGF. This may add another dimension of complexity of the already complicated IGF system. Messenger ribonucleic acids and proteins of the IGF family members are expressed in the uterine tissue and conceptus of the primates, rodents and farm animals to play important roles in growth and development of the uterus and fetus. Expression of the uterine IGF system is regulated by gonadal hormones and local regulatory substances with temporal and spatial specificities. Locally expressed IGFs and IGFBPs act on the uterine tissue in an autocrine/paracrine manner, or are secreted into the uterine lumen to participate in conceptus growth and development. Conceptus also expresses the IGF system beginning from the peri-implantation period. When an IGF family member is expressed in the conceptus, however, is determined by the presence or absence of maternally inherited mRNAs, genetic programming of the conceptus itself and an interaction with the maternal tissue. The site of IGF action also follows temporal (physiological status) and spatial specificities. These facts that expression of the IGF system is temporally and spatially regulated support indirectly a hypothesis that IGFs play a role in conceptus growth and development. Uterine and conceptus-derived IGFs stimulate cell division and differentiation, glucose and amino acid transport, general protein synthesis and the biosynthesis of mammotropic hormones including placental lactogen and prolactin, and also play a role in steroidogenesis. The suggested role for IGFs in conceptus growth and development has been proven by the result of IGF-I, IGF-II or IGF receptor gene disruption(targeting) of murine embryos by the homologous recombination technique. Mice carrying a null mutation for IGF-I and/or IGF-II or type I IGF receptor undergo delayed prenatal and postnatal growth and development with 30-60% normal weights at birth. Moreover, mice lacking the type I IGF receptor or IGF-I plus IGF-II die soon after birth. Intrauterine IGFBPs generally are believed to sequester IGF ligands within the uterus or to play a role of negative regulators of IGF actions by inhibiting IGF binding to cognate receptors. However, when it is taken into account that IGFBP-1 is expressed and secreted in primate uteri in amounts assessedly far exceeding those of local IGFs and that IGFBP-1 is one of the major secretory proteins of the primate decidua, the possibility that this IGFBP may have its own biological activity independent of IGF cannot be excluded. Evidently, elucidating the exact role of each IGFBP is an essential step into understanding the whole IGF system. As such, further research in this area is awaited with a lot of anticipation and attention.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.194-202
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• 1999

Background : Group B ${\beta}$-hemolytic Streptococcus(GBS) has been the major pathogen of neonatal sepsis in western country. In contrast, GBS has played little role in neonatal sepsis in Korea. But recently, neonatal GBS infections are encountered more frequently. It is important to characterize the clinical and epidemiological features of GBS infection in Korean children. Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of twenty-seven infants and children with GBS infection experienced at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital during 14 year-period from June, 1985 to June, 1999. Fourteen strains isolated from blood and cerebrospinal fluid were serotyped. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of 10 strains were determined by agar dilution method for penicillin, ampicillin, ampicillin with sulbactam, cefarolin, cefuroxime, and cefuiaxone. Results: The numbers of cases with GBS infection increased in 1990s. Among twenty seven cases, twenty-five cases were under three months of age and both of two cases with underlying disease occurred at three years of age. All neonatal infections were late-onset type and meningitis predominated. Serotypes were III(6 strain), Ib(4), Ia(l) and V(2). All of the strain were susceptible to all of the antibiotics tested. Conclusion: GBS infections in infants were increasingly recognized. GBS should be considered as an etiological agent of neonatal sepsis or meningitis in Korea. Maternal screening and prophylactic antibiotic therapy may be considered.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.379-384
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• 1997

Superovulation with exogenous gonadotropins creates a spectrum of pre or periovulatory hormonal changes with subsequent detrimental effects on oocyte quality, fertilization, embryo development, implantation and maintenance of pregnancy. Our recent study determined potential roles for insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in uterine environment regulation and preimplant tation in the rat. The evidence indicates that IGF-l may play an important role in the main tenance of a receptive uterine environment for embryonic development and the regulation of decidualization. Embryonic loss and failure of implantations following superovulation may be partially attributed to disturbances in uterine IGF-l action as observed in this study. We investigated the effects of superovulatory doses of gonadotropins on frequency of chromosomal a abnormalities of mouse embryos. Chromosome a analysis of mouse zygotes and 8- to 16-cell stage embryos from spontaneously ovulated, 5, 10, and l 15 lU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) superovulated mice was carried out. Aneuploidy, polyploidy and structural chrom- osomal abnormalities were detected among the four groups. However, only polyploidy was correlated with superovulation. In 10 and 15 IV PMSG treated groups, the rate of polypoidy was 2.9% and 10.5%, respectively. Furthermore, there was a dose reponse relationship between the PMSG dose and the incidence of embryonic p polyploidy (P

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.3541-3546
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• 2011

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved lysosomal pathway for degrading cytoplasmic proteins, macromolecules, and organelles in addition to recycling protein and ATP synthesis. Although autophagy is very important during embryogenesis, the mechanism underlying the dynamic development during this process remains largely unknown. In order to obtain insights into autophagy in early embryo development, we analyzed gene expression levels of autophagy-related genes (ATGs) in mouse embryos developing in vitro. Using real time RT-PCR technique, ATGs including Atg2a, Atg3, Atg4b, Atg5, Atg6, Atg7, Atg9a, and Wipi3, as maternal transcripts, were only up-regulated in 1-cell embryo stage before zygotic genomic activation (ZGA), and then expression decreased from 2-cell to blastocyst embryo stage. ATGs including Dram and Atg9b were expressed abundantly in 1-cell embryo state and in blastocyst embryo stage, athough Atg8 and Ulk1 were constantly expressed during preimplantation stage. However, Atg4d were only up-expressed from 4-cell to blastocyst stage. These results suggest that autophagy is related in mouse embryo, which possibly gives an important role for early development.