• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.219-225
• /
• 2007

This study investigated the correlationship between artificial maturation season and reproduction coefficient of cultured eel Anguilla japonica from May (spring) to next January (winter). The brood stock, female eels ($400{\sim}600\;g$) were artificially matured by weekly intramuscular injections of salmon pituitary extracts (SPE, 20 mg/fish) to induce a completion of vitellogenesis. After completion of vitellogenesis, final oocyte maturation and ovulation was induced by injection of $17{\alpha}$, $20{\beta}-dihydroxyprogesterone$ (DHP) at about $2\;{\mu}g/g$ body weight. Most fish ovulated $15{\sim}18\;h$ following the DHP injection. The ovulated fish were induced to natural spawning or artificial fertilization by the dry method. Males ($200{\sim}350\;g$) were received weekly intramuscular injections of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) at a dosage of 1 IU/g body weight to induce testicular maturation and spermiation. Seasonal reproduction coefficient which includes the rate of ovulation, buoyancy, fertilization and hatching of eggs in the artificially matured eel during spring to summer ($May{\sim}July$) were significantly higher than the other season, while there were no significant difference among spring and summer (P<0.05). Furthermore, the number of eggs spawned and larvae hatched in the artificially maturated eel during spring to summer ($May{\sim}July$) were significantly higher than the other season, while there were no significant difference in spring and summer (P<0.05). These results indicate that artificial maturation by hormone treatment of A. japonica was successful only during spring to summer, which is the maturation period in the wild stock in nature. Consequently, it is possible to determine the period of artificially induced sexual maturity by the reproduction coefficient which includes the rate of ovulation, buoyancy, fertilization and hatching of eggs in the cultured eel A. japonica.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.1-20
• /
• 1990

Follicular atresia is a universal and characteristic phenomenon of both non-mammalian and mammalian vertebrates. Generally it is estimated that greater than 99% of follicles become atretic in higher domestic animals and human. The number of selected follicles developing to the preovulatory stage are thus fewer. Follicles can become atretic at any stage of development. The previous studies emphasized on descriptive and retrospect aspects of a limited population of the fully grown preovulatory follicle. The main efforts in ovarian physilogical researches are focused on follicular development culminating in ovulation but recent advances have resulted in a better understanding of atresia. Nowadays, recent studies are concentrated on the induction of atresia in a selected population of follicles and of the associated cellular, endocrine, biochemical and molecular changes. The factors initiating atresia and follicle selections are worthy of investigations. Another intriguing question is whether one can predict when a follicle will become atretic, i.e., what biochemical markers indicate that a follicle is destined for atresia. It is generally agreed that atretic process may vary even in antral follicles at different stages of their differentiations and among species. The dicisive factors are follicular responsiveness and the hormonal milieu. Some generalizations can be made on the basis of experimental induction of atresia. Alteration of the pattern of follicular steroid production is associated with the initiation stage of atretic process. Atresia appears to be a process unfolding gradually and affecting progressively in increasing number of functions and components of the follicle. The oocyte may be the latest to be afflicted in the atretic process. The high steroidogenic activity of atretic follicles lends support to the notion that atresia is not necessarily a degenerative process and that atretic follicles may play an essential role in ovarian physiology. The simultaneous occurence of growth and atretic processes may render the search for regulatory mechanisms involved in atresia difficult extremely. The questions such as how follicles are selected to undergo ovulation rather than atresia or what the mechanism of atresia is remain unanswered. However, the factors regulating or modifying ovarian hormonal milieu for the initiation of follicular growth and maturation or of atresia are being elucidated.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.635-647
• /
• 2014

Unfertilized oocytes age inevitably after ovulation, which limits their fertilizable life span and embryonic development. Rapamycin affects mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) expression and cytoskeleton reorganization during oocyte meiotic maturation. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of rapamycin treatment on aged porcine oocytes and their in vitro development. Rapamycin treatment of aged oocytes for 24 h (68 h in vitro maturation [IVM]; $44h+10{\mu}M$ rapamycin/24 h, $47.52{\pm}5.68$) or control oocytes (44 h IVM; $42.14{\pm}4.40$) significantly increased the development rate and total cell number compared with untreated aged oocytes (68 h IVM, $22.04{\pm}5.68$) (p<0.05). Rapamycin treatment of aged IVM oocytes for 24 h also rescued aberrant spindle organization and chromosomal misalignment, blocked the decrease in the level of phosphorylated-p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and increased the mRNA expression of cytoplasmic maturation factor genes (MOS, BMP15, GDF9, and CCNB1) compared with untreated, 24 h-aged IVM oocytes (p<0.05). Furthermore, rapamycin treatment of aged oocytes decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity and DNA fragmentation (p<0.05), and downregulated the mRNA expression of mTOR compared with control or untreated aged oocytes. By contrast, rapamycin treatment of aged oocytes increased mitochondrial localization (p<0.05) and upregulated the mRNA expression of autophagy (BECN1, ATG7, MAP1LC3B, ATG12, GABARAP, and GABARAPL1), anti-apoptosis (BCL2L1 and BIRC5; p<0.05), and development (NANOG and SOX2; p<0.05) genes, but it did not affect the mRNA expression of pro-apoptosis genes (FAS and CASP3) compared with the control. This study demonstrates that rapamycin treatment can rescue the poor developmental capacity of aged porcine oocytes.

• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.171-181
• /
• 1995

Gonadosomatic index (GSI) of the crucian carp (Carassius auratus) was investigated to clarify annual reproductive cycle from February in 1992 to October in 1994. The values of GSI were high with individual variation from April to July which period was coincided with the breeding season of fish. The GSI was very low in August and September, when follicular atresia developed in the ovaries. GSI value began to increase in October and reached a peak around the following March, which indicated that ovarian follicles may grow during this period. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG 10 IU), $17\alpha$, 20\beta-dihydroxyprogesterone\;(1-100{\mu}g/ml)$ and phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (TPA, protein kinase C activator, 0.1-10${\mu}M$) induced germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), but $4\alpha-phorbol$ 12, 13- didicanoate ($4\alpha-PDD,\;phorbol\; ester\;analogue,\;25{\mu}M$) did not induce germinal vesicle breakdown in the follicular oocytes. Prostaglandin $F_{2\alpha}$ $(0.1-10 {\mu}g/ml)$ and TPA $(0.1-10 {\mu}M$ induced ovulation of the oocytes, but $4\alpha-PDD$ $(25{\mu}M)$ did not induce ovulation of the follicles. $17\alpha-hydroxyprogesterone$ production was examined from the isolated follicles to investigate the steroid production ability in the crucian carp ovaries. HCG (1 lU, 10 lU) and forskolin (adenylate cyclase activator, 0.1-10 ${\mu}M$) stimulated $17\alpha-hydroxyprogesterone$ production. The time course of HCG (10 lU) and forskolin $(10\;{\mu}M)$ stimulated $17\alpha-hydroxyprogesterone$ production within 3 hours, the elevated levels were maintained during the rest of the culture period. The data indicates that cyclic AMP and protein kinase C may play important roles in the oocyte maturation and ovulation in crucian carp.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.55-62
• /
• 2010

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) play important roles in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling during ovarian follicular development, oocytes development and ovulation. In an attempt to investigate the effect of MMP activation in development cumulus-oocytes complexes, we examined the localization and expression of MMP, and monitored MMP expression profile. Cumulus-oocytes complexes were collected and matured in vitro for 24 hr, 36 hr and 48 hr. A mRNA expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 was detected in all culture medium regardless of CC, DC and CDCs. Activity of MMP-2 in the DC progressively was increased from 24 hr to 48 hr. But MMP-9 was not detected in all culture medium. The localization of MMP-2 was also measured by immunohistochemistry analysis. The MMP-2 and TIMP-2 was detected in cumulus cell and oocyte zone pellucida. Expression of MMP-2 protein in the COCs was progressively increased from 24 hr to 48 hr. However, MMP-9 protein was progressively decreased from 24 hr to 48 hr. And TIMP-2 protein was most highly expressed in the CDCs 36 hr. Expression of TIMP-3 protein in the CDCs was progressively increased from 24 hr to 48 hr. In conclusion, these results suggest that MMP-2 plays a role in maintaining normal maturation and development by controlling the ECM inhibitor concentration on cumulus cell and oocytes.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.101-112
• /
• 1986

It is now common practice to attempt ovarian hyperstimulation in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) to promote the development of multiple preovulatory follicles and to maximize the number of mature egg available. There are several drugs for hyperstimulation such as clomiphene citrate only, clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) and HMG only. Accumlated experience has shown that the hyperstimulation of the ovary in IVF-ET results in high pregnancy rate. But the hyperstimulation of the ovary in IVF-ET may cause the hyperandrogenism, so we must consider the adverse effect on pregnancy rate of the hyperandrogenism. Little is known about the functional significance of androgen for the follicular growth, however, the hyperandrogenism might interfere with oocyte maturation. The aim of the present investigation was to determine the serum profiles of estradiol, androstenedione and testosterone during the hyperstimulated menstrual cycles in IVF. The results were summarized as follows: 1. There was a gradual increase in the mean levels of serum estradiol, androstenedione, and testosterone approaching follicular maturation. 2. The mean serum estradiol levels in the hyperstimulated groups were significantly higher than that in the control group in late follicular phase and ovum retrieval (ovulation) day (p<0.01). 3. The mean serum androstenedione levels in the clomiphene citrate groups were significantly higher than that in the control group in late follicular phase (p<0.01). There was no statistically significant different in the mean serum androstenedione levels between the control group and the HMG group (p>0.05). 4. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean levels of testosterone among each group (p>0.05). 5. There was no statistically significant different in the mean levels of estradiol, androstenedione and testosterone between the fertilized patients and non-fertilized patients in clomiphene citrate and HMG group (p>0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.20-33
• /
• 2017

Objective: Superstimulatory treatment of one-month-old lambs can achieve synchronous development of numerous growing follicles. However, these growing follicles cannot complete maturation and ovulation. Oocyte maturation and competence are acquired during follicular development, in which granulosa cells play an essential role. Methods: In this study, we applied RNA sequencing to analyze and compare gene expression between prepubertal and adult superstimulated follicle granulosa cells in sheep. Results: There were more than 300 genes that significantly differed in expression. Among these differently expressed genes, many extracellular matrix genes (EGF containing Fibulin Like Extracellular Matrix Protein 1, pentraxin 3, adrenomedullin, and osteopontin) were significantly down-regulated in the superstimulated follicles. Ingenuity pathway and gene ontology analyses revealed that processes of axonal guidance, cell proliferation and DNA replication were expressed at higher levels in the prepubertal follicles. Epidermal growth factor, T-Box protein 2 and beta-estradiol upstream regulator were predicted to be active in prepubertal follicles. By comparison, tumor protein P53 and let-7 were most active in adult follicles. Conclusion: These results may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms governing the development of granulosa cells in the growing follicle in prepubertal sheep.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.331-336
• /
• 2005

Objective: To investigate the effects of female age on in vitro maturation and fertilization of immature oocytes from controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in human IVF-ET program. Method: A total of 96 immature oocytes (GV & metaphase I) obtained from 40 cycles of IVF-ET (29 patients). The mean age of female patients was $31.8{\pm}3.1years$. Ovulation was triggered by urinary or recombinant hCG. Immature oocytes were cultured with YS medium containing 30% of patients' human follicular fluids, LH (1 IU/mL), FSH (1 IU/mL) and EGF (10 ng/mL), and then matured oocytes were fertilized by ICSI. In vitro maturation and fertilization of immature oocytes were analyzed according to age of female (< 34 or ${\geq}34years$). Results: The maturation rate was similar between two groups (68% vs 64%). The fertilization rate of in?vitro-matured oocytes was higher in patients < 34 years old, but there was no statistical significance (64% vs 50%, p=0.347). The fertilization rate of in-vitro-matured oocytes was significantly lower compared with those of in-vivo-matured oocytes in both age groups (64% vs 79%, p=0.035, 50% vs 86%, p=0.007). Conclusion: In older female group, fertilization rate of in-vitro-matured oocytes seems to be decreased. Further investigations should be warranted to increase fertilization potential of in-vitro-matured oocytes.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.267-271
• /
• 2014

Accurate determination of in vivo oocyte maturation is particularly critical for dog cloning compared to other assisted reproductive technologies because oocytes in metaphase II stage have to be recovered in order to undergo somatic cell nuclear transfer right after its recovery. The aim of present study was to evaluate the reliability and to set a reference range of a chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) compared to radioimmunoassay (RIA) method to retrieve in vivo matured oocytes. Serum progesterone concentration during proestrus and estrus was analyzed by RIA and CLEIA to determine ovulation day (Day 0). On Day 3, in vivo oocytes were recovered surgically and evaluated microscopically maturation status after staining nucleus with bisbenzimidazole dye. Mean progesterone concentration by CLEIA ($7.64{\pm}0.06ng/ml$) was significantly higher than by RIA ($6.46{\pm}0.04ng/ml$, P < 0.0001). It was not different between CLEIA ($10.01{\pm}0.34ng/ml$) and RIA values ($7.91{\pm}0.14ng/ml$, P < 0.05) on Day 0, but significantly higher CLEIA level on Day -1 and Day 1 ($6.41{\pm}0.15$ and $14.25{\pm}0.44ng/ml$) was assessed compared to RIA ($4.95{\pm}0.10$ and $11.29{\pm}0.34ng/ml$). However, with both methods, progesterone level was significantly increased from Day -1 to Day 2. To determine oocyte maturation with CLEIA method, a wider and higher reference range has to be considered.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 2006

The growing oocytes become progressively capable of resuming meiosis, and full meiotic competence appear when they are about 80% of the size of fully grown oocytes. As hormonal influences vary at different stages of reproductive cycle, the size of oocytes may vary according to the reproductive stages. The present study was designed to compare the diameter between the ovulated and freshly collected immature canine oocytes. The ovulated oocytes were collected 72 hr after ovulation by oviductal tube flushing by laparotomy under general anesthesia. Immature oocytes were collected by ovarian slicing method. Diameter of all oocytes was measured directly using epiflurescence microscope with a calibrated micro-eyepiece micrometer at ${\times}200$ magnification. The thickness of zona pellucida and diameter of cytoplasm were measured separately and recorded. A total of 2209 zona intact oocytes were collected, among them 628 from anestrus, 675 from follicular, 838 from luteal and 68 by fallopian tubes flushing methods. The average number of oocytes was 104.7, 168.8, 119.7 and 11.3 for anestrus, follicular, luteal and fallopian tubes flushing methods, respectively. The average diameters of the ooplasm and oocyte were significantly varied in different reproductive stages as well as with ovulated oocytes (P<0.05). The average diameter of ooplasm and oocyte was 115.6 and 127.7, 143.0 and 162.0, 134.6 and 150.6, 159.6 and 185.6 for anestrus, follicular, luteal and ovulated oocytes, respectively. Highest number of oocytes with larger diameter could be collected from the follicular and luteal stages. In conclusion, the follicular and luteal ovaries are the best sources of oocytes for canine IVM.