• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.147-152
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• 2011

This study was conducted to examine whether efficiency of oocyte production from superovulated prepubertal goats. Fifteen prepubertal and twenty adult goats, maintained in a pen under natural day length and fed hay ad libitum, were pretreated with progestagen implanted CIDR for 10 days. Superovulation treatment of the goats received twice daily intramuscular injection of a total of 70 mg FSH for 3 days from Day 8 of CIDR. All the gonadotrophin treated goats were injected with 10 mg $PGF_2{\alpha}$ on Day 8 and 400~600 IU hCG in the afternoon on Day 10. Oocytes were recovered by follicle aspiration or oviduct flushing at 35 to 40 h after hCG injection through mid-ventral incision. The in vivo matured oocytes was activated by ionomycin (5 min) and 6-DMAP (3.5~4 h). The activated oocytes were cultured in mSOF medium containing 0.8% BSA at 38.5$^{\circ}C$ in an atmosphere of 5% CO$_2$, 5% O$_2$, 90% N$_2$ for 7~8 days. There was no significant difference in the mean number of CL and in vivo matured and follicular oocytes recovered. But, quality of I + II grade follicular oocytes was lower (p<0.05) in the prepubertal goat (25.0%) than the adults (52.4%). The same results were also observed in the cleavage and blastocyst rate of activated oocytcs. The cleavage and blastocyst rate from prepubertal derived oocytes were lower (p<0.05) in the prepubertal goat (54.5%, 23.3%) than the adult goat (86.8%, 46.6%). Considering overall these results, we suggest that maturation of donor goats is a major factor affecting recovered oocytes quality and in vitro development of activated goat oocytes.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.425-435
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• 1998

To improve the efficiency of nuclear transplantation in bovine, in this study the development in vitro of nuclear transferred (NT) embryos was compared by different activation regimens of the enucleated oocytes. The effect of developmental stage and culture system of donor nuclei on fusion and development in vitro of NT embryos were also evaluated. Oocytes were collected from Hanwoo ovaries obtained from slaughterhouse and matured in Ham's F-10 supplemented with hormones. After 20~22 h maturation, the oocytes were vortexed to be free from cumulus cells and subsequently their nucleus and the first polar body were removed. Enucleated oocytes were divided into 3 groups for activation; the oocytes of group I were activated with ionomycin for 5 min and subsequently incubated in 6-dimetylarninopurine (DMAP) for 4 h, Those of group II were treated with DMAP for 4 h at 39 h after onset of in vitro maturation (IVM) and those of group III were kept in room temperature ($25^{\circ}C$) for 3 h at 39 h after onset of IVM. After in vitro fertilization (IVF) the embryos for muclear donor were cultured either by group culture (20 embryos /50 ${mu}ell$ drop) or individually (1 embryo /50 ${mu}ell$ drop) for 4 day and 5 day. At day 4 and 5 after IVF, blastomeres were separated in calcium-magnesium free medium, and then classified into small (day 5: $\leq$ 38 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, day 4: $\leq$ 46 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) and large (day 5 : $\geq$ 38 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, day 4 ; $\geq$ 46 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$). The separated blastomeres were replaced into enucleated and activated recipient cytoplasm. The blastomere-oocyte complexes were fused by electrically. The NT embryos were cultured in TCM-199 containing 10% FCS in 39$^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ incubator for 7 day. The results obtained were summarized as follows; There were no differences in fusion and development to blastocyst between groups as group I (68%, 10%), group II (75%, 14%) and group III (73%, 9%), respectively. However, the cell number in blastocyst of NT embryos in group III were significantly fewer than in the other groups (P＜0.05). No differences in fusion and development to blastocyst were found between individual or group cultured and between small or large blastomeres of day 4 and day 5 donor embryos. From these results, it was concluded that the combination of ionomycin and DMAP, or treatment of DMAP at 39 h after onset of IVM were useful for the efficient of production of NT bovine embryos, and the individual cultured embryos could be simply used as donor nuclei for NT bovine embryo.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.523-530
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• 1995

Specific affinity binding sites for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were Investigated in the pig ovarian tissues by in vitro autoradiographic techniques. In the pig ovary, the highest binding sites for 12514abeiled rANP(l~28) were localized in the granulosa cell layer of the forncles. The binding sies on theca layer of the ovarian follicles were mainly localized in the external layer, but none was observed In the Internal layer. In the corpus luteum, the binding site was not observed. The specific bindings of 200 pM of l2Sl4abelled rANP(l~28) to granulosa and theca externa layers were reversed completely by excess concentration (1 ~4) of unlabelled rANP(l~28) but not by 10 ~ of unrelated peptides, human angiotensin II and arginine vasopressin. The binding was also displaced by 1 ~ of desiGIn18, Ser19, Gly2O, leu21, Gly22I ANP(4~2g) (C- ANF) as a spedfic ligand of the ANP clearance receptor. Therefore these results indicate ~hat the biological and the clearance ANP receptors exist in the theca externa and granulosa layer of the pig ovary, and suggest that the ANP receptors may be related with the regulatory lundion of the ovarian follicular development including oocyte maturation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1703-1712
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• 2015

The in vitro maturation (IVM) efficiency of porcine embryos is still low because of poor oocyte quality. Although brilliant cresyl blue positive (BCB+) oocytes with low glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity have shown superior quality than BCB negative (-) oocytes with high G6PDH activity, the use of a BCB staining test before IVM is still controversial. This study aimed to shed more light on the subcellular characteristics of porcine oocytes after selection using BCB staining. We assessed germinal vesicle chromatin configuration, cortical granule (CG) migration, mitochondrial distribution, the levels of acetylated lysine 9 of histone H3 (AcH3K9) and nuclear apoptosis features to investigate the correlation between G6PDH activity and these developmentally related features. A pattern of chromatin surrounding the nucleoli was seen in 53.0% of BCB+ oocytes and 77.6% of BCB+ oocytes showed peripherally distributed CGs. After IVM, 48.7% of BCB+ oocytes had a diffused mitochondrial distribution pattern. However, there were no significant differences in the levels of AcH3K9 in the nuclei of blastocysts derived from BCB+ and BCB- oocytes; at the same time, we observed a similar incidence of apoptosis in the BCB+ and control groups. Although this study indicated that G6PDH activity in porcine oocytes was correlated with several subcellular characteristics such as germinal vesicle chromatin configuration, CG migration and mitochondrial distribution, other features such as AcH3K9 level and nuclear apoptotic features were not associated with G6PDH activity and did not validate the BCB staining test. In using this test for selecting porcine oocytes, subcellular characteristics such as the AcH3K9 level and apoptotic nuclear features should also be considered. Adding histone deacetylase inhibitors or apoptosis inhibitors into the culture medium used might improve the efficiency of IVM of BCB+ oocytes.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2001

This study was undertaken to compare the efficiency of recovery rate and development rate of follicular oocytes collected either by aspiration or by slicing method. The follicular oocytes collected by the two methods matured in TCM199 supplemented with 10% steer serum at 39$^{\circ}C$ in a humidified atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$in air. After 22 h of culture, the oocytes were inseminated with frozen-thawed semen (2$\times$10$^{6}$ sperm/ml of final concentration) prepared with Percoll-density gradient in IVF-TALP medium for 16 h. Later, sets of 15 presumptive zygotes were transferred into 50 $\mu$L, droplets of CR1aa medium. On day 4 of the culture, embryos were transferred to TCM199 until day 9. The percentages of nuclear maturation to pre-metaphase II in the oocytes collected by aspiration are significantly (P<0.05) higher than that by slicing (83% vs. 62%, respectively). The mean number of oocytes recovered by slicing per ovary is significantly (P<0.05) higher than that by aspiration (15.1 vs. 6.7, respectively). Although the rates of cleavage and development to blastocyst of oocytes collected b)\\\\`aspiration are significantly (P<0.05) higher than that by slicing, the number of transferable embryos obtained by slicing method is significantly (P<0.05) higher than that by aspiration. From the results. we may conclude that slicing method is better than aspiration method for obtaining large number of transferable embryos per ovary.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.73-82
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• 2015

This study was designed to evaluate the possibility of increase through dairy female offspring's ratio by transfer of pre-selected transferrable blastocyst that was produced by pre-selected X-bearing semen with OPU derived oocytes. Elite dairy female cow is demanded strongly compared with male, the so called, farmer wants to produce only an elite female dairy offspring as a candidate female dairy cow for producing milk. In our study, we selected 2 elite dairy bull semen from National Agricultural Cooperative Federation to pre-select X-bearing semen and 5 elite dairy female cows as donor for collecting of OPU derived oocytes. OPU derived embryo production system was carried out an aspiration of immature oocytes from 5 donor cows 2 times per week, total 200 times for 2 to 7 months by an ultrasonographic guided follicular aspiration system and then produced in vitro-produced blastocysts by in vitro maturation, fertilization and culture. Dairy donor semen selected H-319, 320 bull in National Agricultural Cooperative federation was sorted X-bearing semen by flow-cytometer and frozen for using IVF with OPU derived oocytes. Donor cows were selected 5 elite dairy cows from Gyeongju Dairy Cow Community and then disease tests such as 4 kinds of disease before selecting was checked. Oocyte proportion of grade 1 to 3 from total collected oocytes was significantly lower in donor A and B than those in donor C, D and E (82.16 and 70.03% vs. 90.0, 91.78 and 93.57%), respectively (p<0.05). However, number of oocytes per session in donor A, C and E was significantly higher than those in donor B and D ($7.77{\pm}3.26$, $5.85{\pm}2.10$ and $7.03{\pm}2.14$ vs. $4.68{\pm}2.61$ and $5.21{\pm}1.97$ oocytes), but donor A was significantly higher than donor C (p<0.05). Development to blastocyst in donor B, C and E was significantly higher than those in donor A and D (31.0, 25.0 and 25.0% vs. 14.3 and 4.5%), but donor A was not different in donor C and E (p<0.05). Nine out of 10 blastocysts (90.0%) derived from OPU blastocysts were confirmed male embryos that was induced with Y-bearing semen to confirm sex ratio only. Total 96 blastocysts derived from female bearing semen were transferred into synchronized recipients and then confirmed 42 recipients (43.8%) pregnancy rate, 36 offspring (37.5%) and 91.7% female sex ratio (33 female vs. 3 male offspring). Taken together all data, elite dairy female offspring could be produced effectively by in vitro production system between pre-selected x-bearing semen and OPU derived oocytes that would be influential breeder in the breeding of dairy farm to increase effectively elite dairy offspring ratio as well as net income in the dairy farmer.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.407-417
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• 1999

Objective: Mammalian follicle cells are the most important somatic cells which help oocytes grow, mature and ovulate and thus are believed to provide oocytes with various functional and structural components. In the present study we have examined whether cumulus or granulosa cells might playa role in establishing the plasma membrane structure of mouse oocytes during meiotic maturation. Design: In particular the differential resistances of mouse oocytes against chymotrypsin treatment were examined following culture with or without cumulus or granulosa cells, or in these cell-conditioned media. Results: When mouse denuded oocytes, freed from their surrounding cumulus cells, were cultured in vitro for $17{\sim}18hr$ and then treated with 1% chymotrypsin, half of the oocytes underwent degeneration within 37.5 min ($t_{50}=37.5{\pm}7.5min$) after the treatment. In contrast cumulus-enclosed oocytes showed $t_{50}=207.0$. Similarly, when oocytes were co-cultured with cumulus cells which were not associated with the oocytes but present in the same medium, the $t_{50}$ of co-cultured oocytes was $177.5{\pm}13.1min$. Furthermore, when oocytes were cultured in the cumulus cell-conditioned medium, $t_{50}$ of these oocytes was $190.0{\pm}10.8min$ whereas $t_{50}$ of the oocytes cultured in M16 alone was $25.5{\pm}2.9min$. Granulosa cell-conditioned medium also increased the resistance of oocytes against chymotrypsin treatment such that $t_{50}$ of oocytes cultured in granulosa cell-conditioned medium was $152.5{\pm}19.0min$ while that of oocytes cultured in M16 alone was $70.0{\pm}8.2min$. To see what molecular components of follicle cell-conditioned medium are involved in the above effects, the granulosa cell-conditioned medium was separated into two fractions by using Microcon-10 membrane filter having a 10 kDa cut-off range. When denuded oocytes were cultured in medium containing the retentate, $t_{50}$ of the oocytes was $70.0{\pm}10.5min$. In contrast, $t_{50}$ of the denuded oocytes cultured in medium containing the filtrate was $142.0{\pm}26.5min$. $T_{50}$ of denuded oocytes cultured in medium containing both retentate and filtrate was $188.0{\pm}13.6min$. However, $t_{50}$ of denuded oocytes cultured in M16 alone was $70.0{\pm}11.0min$ and that of oocytes cultured in whole granulosa cell-conditioned medium was $156.0{\pm}27.9min$. When surface membrane proteins of oocytes were electrophoretically analyzed, no difference was found between the protein profiles of oocytes cultured in M16 alone and of those cultured in the filtrate. Conclusions: Based upon these results, it is concluded that mouse follicle cells secrete a factor(s) which enhance the resistance of mouse oocytes against a proteolytic enzyme treatment. The factor appears to be a small molecules having a molecular weight less than 10 kDa.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.207-215
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• 2003

Objective: To compare the pregnancy outcomes after in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI) between obstrucvtive and non-obstrucvtive azoospermia. Methods: From January 1994 to December 2002, 524 patients with obstructive azoospermia (886 cycles) and 163 patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (277 cycles) were included in this study. Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA) or testicular sperm extraction (TESE) in obstructive azoospermia and TESE in non-obstructive azoospermia were perfomed to retrieve sperm, which was used for ICSI and then fertilized embryos were transferred. The results of ICSI - fertlization rate (FR), clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), clinical abortion rate (CAR) and delivery rate (DR) - were statistically analysed in obstructive versus non-obstructive azoospermia. Results: There were no differences in the number of retrieved oocytes, injected oocytes for ICSI and oocyte maturation rate. FR was significantly higher in obstructive than non-obstructive azoospermia (71.7% vs. 61.1%, p<0.001). There was no difference in CPR per embryo transfer cycle. After pregnancy was established, however, CAR was significantly higher in non-obstructive than obstructive azoospermia (25.6% vs. 12.5%, p=0.004). DR per clinical pregnancy cycle was significantly higher in obstructive than non-obstructive azoospermia (78.0% vs. 64.4%, p=0.012). In the karyotype ananlysis of abortus, abnormal karyotypes were found in 75.0% (6/8) of obstructive and 55.6% (5/9) of non-obstructive azoospermia. Conclusion: Our data show significantly higher FR in obstructive than non-obstructive azoospermia. Though there was no differrence in CPR, CAR was significantly higher in non-obstructive than obstructive azoospermia. The abortion may be related to the abnormal karyotype of embryo, but further investigations are necessary to elucidate the cause of clinical abortion in azoospermia.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.169-175
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• 2006

The objective of this study was carried out to examine the polar body extrusion of in vitro matured porcine follicular oocytes as a non-invasive marker of oocyte quality to know the developmental competence in advance. The porcine oocytes matured for 48 hours were examined the polar body extrusion and some parts were stained. The examined oocytes were matured for additional $16{\sim}18$ hours and activated with 7% ethanol and cultured in $5{\mu}g/ml$ cytochalasin B for 5 hours for diploid formation. The treated oocytes were washed and cultured for 7 days. The polar body extrusion and degeneration rates were varied with $9.9{\sim}52.4%$ and $21.4{\sim}61.8%$ by repetition. The polar body extruded oocytes were shown the polar body chromosome and metaphase II plate by staining. However the non-extruded oocytes were shown expanded nucleus with 39.1%, premature chromosome condensation with 19.6%, metaphase I plate with 10.9 %, metaphase II with 13%, condensed chromatin with 6.5%, and absent nuclear material with 8.7%. The oocytes that were not examined for the polar body extrusion were cleaved 45.0%, and developed to blastocyst stage with 11.3%. In examined oocytes for polar body extrusion,. the polar body extruded oocytes were cleaved 94.2% and developed with 42.5%. This result suggests that discarding of the degenerating oocytes and oocytes that not extruded polar body will be effective for experiments of culturing effect in porcine embryos and embryo biotechnology.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2005

The ovaries from Hanwoo and Holstein were collected from labattoir and transferred to laboratory. Oocytes were aspirated and incubated in $CO_2$ incubator for 24 hours for maturation. Oocytes were coincubated with the sperms for 5 hours. Cleaved oocytes were selected 48 hours after coincubation and half of the medium was changed newly every 48 hour until blastocyst formation. Cleavage rate and blastocyst rate were investigated according to different breeds and different status of cumulus cells surrounding the oocytes. Blastocysts were either transferred to the recipients or frozen until use. The result of embryo transfer with fresh or frozen embryos was investigated. The rate of male offspring following embryo transfer was also investigated. The rate of cleavage was $66.4\%$ for Hanwoo and $62.4\%$ for Holstein oocytes. The rate of cleavage according to status of oocyte was shown highest in the oocytes completely surrounded with cumulus cells and lowest in denuded oocytes for both Hanwoo and Holstein oocytes. The rate of blastocyst from cleaved oocytes was $40.6\%$ for Hanwoo and $36.9\%$ for Holstein. The rate of pregnancy/delivery following embryo transfer with fresh IVF embryos was $57.2\%$ for Hanwoo and $53.3\%$ for Holstein. The rate of pregnancy/delivery following embryo transfer with frozen IVF embryos was $40.9\%$ for Hanwoo and $36.4\%$ for Holstein. The rate of male calf produced by embryo transfer was $63.6\%$ for Hanwoo and $50.0\%$ for Holstein.