• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.77-80
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• 2008

In the present study, effects of concentration of cryoprotectant solutions on the nuclear maturation of vitrified-thawed porcine oocytes were examined. Also, the developmental capacity of vitrified-thawed immature porcine oocytes following ICSI was investigated. Oocytes were cultured in NCSU-23 medium supplemented with 5% FBS at $38^{\circ}C$ in 5% $CO_2$ and air. The in vitro maturation rate of vitrified-thawed oocytes ($24.1{\pm}2.5%$) was lower than that of the control ($46.0{\pm}3.2%$, p<0.05). The in vitro maturation rate of vitrified-thawed oocytes treated with $1.0{\sim}5.0\;ug$ CB + NCSU- 23 medium were $22.2{\pm}3.0%$, $30.7{\pm}3.2$, $46.3{\pm}3.1%$, $38.5{\pm}3.2%$, respectively. The in vitro maturation rate ($46.3{\pm}3.4%$) of the vitrified-thawed oocytes treated with $3.0\;{\mu}g$ CB for 30 min was the highest of all vitrification groups. When the in vitro developmental rates of the vitrified-thawed (with EDS and EDT) oocytes following ICSI were $18.5{\pm}2.5%$, $16.4{\pm}2.1%$, respectively. This results were lower than the control group ($24.0{\pm}2.5%$).

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 1994

Purpose of the present study was to find the optimal culture conditions for the maturation and fertilization of immature oocytes by the use human body fluids and gonadotropins (Gn) in the mouse model. Cumulus-enclosed mouse immature oocytes were incubated in the medium containing various human body fluids with or without Gn in vitro, and examined to confirm nuclear maturation (NM) and fertilization. Female ICR mice were stimulated with 7.5 IU pregnant mares' serum gonadotropin (PMSG). Cumulus-enclosed immature oocytes were isolated at 48-52 hr post PMSG injection and cultured in TCM 199 supplemented with various concentrations (20, 50, and 70%) of human body fluids such as fetal cord serum (hCS), follicular fluid (hFF), peritoneal fluid (hPF) and amniotic fluid (hAF) in the presence or absence of 10 IU/ml PMSG and 10 IU/ml human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for 18 hr. Fetal calf serum (FCS) was used as a control for the supplements. Matured oocytes were fertilized with sperm collected from the epididymis of male mice. Fertilization was conducted in T6 medium containing 15 mgl ml bovine serum albumin, and confirmed at 6 hr post-insemination. Evaluation of nucler maturation and fertilization was carried out by rapid staining using fuchin. There was no significant difference between the effects of human body fluids and FCS supplements on nuclear maturation of cumulus enclosed mouse immature oocytes. When maturation medium was supplemented with 20% hPF or 20% hAF, fertilization rates were significantly (P<0.01) lower than that of 20% FCS, hCS and hFF groups. However, higher concentrations of body fluids during IVM were not more beneficial on fertilizability of oocytes. The addition of Gn significantly increased the fertilization rates in hPF and hAF groups (hPF without Gn; 51.5%, compared with 85.1% for addition of Gn, and hAF without Gn; 30.1% compared with 85.8% for addition of Gn) at 20% concentration. These results suggest that human body fluids at 20% concentration and gonadotropins can be used as supplements for the maturation of mouse immature oocytes in vitro. When gonadotropins supplemented with the human body fluids in the maturation medium, fertilizability of mouse immature oocytes was increased in hPF and hAF groups. These results can be applied to maturation of human immature oocytes in vitro.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 1990

The technique for maturation of follicular oocyte has been devised to provide such a low cost and in ptentifut number supply of bovine embryo. Some of problems concerning production of bovine embtyo in vitro were discussed in this paper. Bovine follicular oocytes cultured in vitro achieved normal fertilization but cleavage rates to blastocyst were low compared to the oocyte matured in vivo. It has been concluded that a deficient cytoplasmic maturation occurs in the oocytes matured in vitro. These results indicate that the studies for maturation of bovine follicular oocytes in vitro need improvement of culture conditions and to define the characteristics that might be indicative of healthy oocyte.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.469-473
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• 2011

These study was carried out to investigate the effects of the supplementation with sodium nitroprusside (SN) and nitric oxide (NO) of canine oocytes on IVM rates. Oocytes were incubated in TCM-199 supplement with at 0.03~0.10 mM SN and 0.3~1.0 mM NO for 48 hrs. Oocytes were transferred to 50 ul drops of maturation medium covered mineral oil and cultured in a $CO_2$ incubator (5% $CO_2$, 95% air, $38^{\circ}C$). The in vitro maturation rate of oocytes cultured for 48 hrs in TCM-199 medium supplement with 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.10 mM SN were $25.9{\pm}3.5%$, $36.4{\pm}3.2%$, $33.3{\pm}3.5%$, $28.8{\m}3.2%$, respectively. The in vitro maturation rate of oocytes cultured for 48 hrs in TCM-199 medium supplement with 0.03~0.07 mM SN were significantly increased compare to the control ($26.0{\pm}2.2%$). The in vitro maturation rates of oocytes cultured for 48 hrs in TCM-199 medium supplement with 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0 mM NO were $28.0{\pm}4.2%$, $36.5{\pm}3.6%$, $30.0{\pm}3.8%$, $19.2{\pm}3.5%$, respectively. The in vitro maturation rate of oocytes in TCM-199 medium supplemented with 0.3 and 0.5 mM NO were significantly increased compare to the control ($26.0{\pm}2.2%$). The in vitro maturation rates of oocytes cultured for 12~48 hrs in TCM-199 medium supplement with 0.05 mM SN were $26.0{\pm}3.2%$, $28.0{\pm}3.4%$, $38.0{\pm}3.2%$, respectively. The in vitro maturation rate of oocytes cultured for 12~48 hrs in TCM-199 medium supplement with 0.5 mM NO were $22.0{\pm}3.0%$, $30.0{\pm}3.8%$, $36.0{\pm}4.2%$, respectively. These result was significantly increased compare to the control.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 1998

In the present study, effects of interleukin-2 (IL-2), a differentiator and proliferator of T-cells, on nuclear maturation and sperm penetration of bovine oocytes was examined in a serum-free or serum-containing medium. Basic medium was used TCM-199 supplemented with 2.2g / ι sodium bicarbonate, 100 i.u. /rnl penicillin. 100$\mu$g /ml streptomycin, 0.25$\mu$g/ml Fungizone, this medium treated with FCS and IL-2. In experiment 1, we examined the effect of the addition of 0, 1, 5, 10 or 15nM /ml IL-2 to tissue culture medium (TCM-199) on nuclear maturation of oocytes Development of oocytes to the Metaphase II (M II) stage (%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher at 1, 5,10 and 15 nM /ml IL-2(54.2, 73.5, 80.0 and 69.6%, respectively) than at 0 nM /ml IL-2(35.7%). In experiment 2, we examined the effect of the addition of l0nM /ml IL-2 or 5% FCS in oocyte maturation. Nuclear maturation rates were significantly(P<0.05) higher l0nM /ml IL-2(80%) than non-treatment(35.7%) and 5% FCS(63.6%) treatment. On the other hand, there were no significant difference in the proportion of oocytes developed to the 2-cell stage after addition of IL-2 and/or FCS. These results suggest that IL-2 supports nuclear maturation of bovine immature oocytes in vitro. Serum-free maturation system using IL-2 might be useful for evaluation of various factors on oocyte maturation.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 2002

This study was carried out to study the viability of oocytes when vitrified at various maturation stages. Bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes were recovered from ovaries at a slaughter and then divided into five groups: control group(unvitrified oocytes), 0 hr. group(composed of oocytes vitrified before the onset of maturation) and 10, 14, and 20 hrs groups(vitrified at 10, 14 and 20 hrs after the onset of maturation, respectively). The oocytes remained vitrified for 24 hrs, and then were thawed in 3$0^{\circ}C$. Survival and cleavage rates were investigated by results of in vitro culture and aceto-orcein staining or FDA test. No difference in the incidence of diploid oocytes was observed among the control, non-vitrified group(3.6%) and oocytes vitrified at 14 hrs(6.7%) or 20 hrs(1.7%). However, more diploid oocytes were detected after vitrification at 0 hr.(26.7%) and 10 hrs(21.7%) post maturation. The survival rate of all vitrified immature oocytes(12.0~38.0%) was low, 48.0% of unvitrified oocytes and oocytes vitrified before maturation or 0~ 10 hrs after the onset of maturation were higher than that of other groups. The overall fertilization and cleavage rates of vitrified immature oocytes (32.3 ~ 64.6% and 4.6 ~ 32.3%) were low, and 55.0% of unvitrified oocytes and the rate of immature oocytes were very higher than that of mature oocytes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.1069-1075
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• 2004

In an attempt to evaluate the function of MAP kinase in porcine oocytes and to develop a method of the assessment of its activity, myelin basic protein (MBP) was used as a substrate to detect the MAP kinase activity of porcine oocytes which had undergone maturation in vitro. The existence of MAP kinase and MAP kinase kinase (MAPKK) was verified in immature porcine germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes at 0 h culture via Western blotting. Porcine oocytes exhibited a low level of MAP kinase activity during the first 20 h of culture, which increased at 25 h, during which time a breakdown in the nuclear membrane occurred. Significantly higher increases (p<0.05) of MAP kinase activity were detected at 30 h of culture. Using the gel phosphorylation method, MBP was phosphorylated at two positions corresponding to mammalian MAP kinase-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 1) (44 kDa) and ERK 2 (42 kDa). The absolute levels of those proteins did not increase during 40 h of culture, suggesting that the detected increase in MAP kinase activity was the result of phosphorylation rather than changes in the total amount of protein. MAPKK and MAP kinase were dephosphorylated in first-stage (MI) meiotic oocytes by the addition of cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor. These results of this study indicate that the MAP kinase cascade does exists in porcine oocytes and that its activation leads to oocyte maturation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.189-194
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the rate of maturation, fertilization, and embryo development of in vitro-matured human oocytes derived from pregnant and non-pregnant women. Methods: Immature oocytes were obtained by needle aspiration from 49 pregnant women (group 1) who underwent a cesarean section at term and 77 non-pregnant women (group 2) who underwent a gynecological operation during the same period (8 months). Healthy immature oocytes (530 in group 1 and 539 in group 2) were cultured and assessed for maturation 36 hours later. Mature oocytes were inseminated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection and cultured up to 144 hours. Results: The percentage of degenerated oocytes was significantly higher (12.1% vs. 6.3%; p<0.001) in group 1 than in group 2. There was no significant difference in the maturation rate (66.8% vs. 68.1%; p=0.698), fertilization rate (66.7% vs. 67.6%; p=0.857), or the rate of formation of good-quality blastocysts (46.2% vs. 47.2%; p=0.898) in oocytes obtained from pregnant and non-pregnant women. Conclusion: The developmental competence of immature oocytes did not differ between pregnant and non-pregnant women.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.120-124
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• 1988

Rat oocyte-cumulus complexes were cultured in verious media in order to induce maturation division in vitro. When the complexes were cultured in mKRB containing estrous rat serum (ERS) and FCS of 5% instead of BSA higher proportions(83.3 and 86.7%) of oocytes matured to metaphase II in 20h compared to control(75%) and t도 maturation rates in mKRB plus FCS were generally higher than those in mKRB plus ERS. Fertilization and early cleavage rates in vitro of the intact oocytes matured in mKRB containing BSA and FCS were generally higher than those of cumulus-removed oocytes and these rates were higher in mKRB containing 5% FCS than those in mKRB containing BSA. These results indicate that maturation rate in vitro was greatly increased by the addition of FCS instead of BSA to mKRB solution and the presence of cumulus cells around oocytes prior to sperm insemintion may be responsible for the increase of in vitro fertilization and early cleavage rates.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.221-224
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• 1991

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of rabbit peritioneal fluid(rPF) on in vitro maturtion of porcine follicular oocytes. From does 20h after hCG injection, rPF was aspirated aseptically at laparatomy, and then centrifuged, filtrated, and preincubated immediately for 12h. Porcine follicular oocytes isolated from ovaries of slaughtered animals were incubated in TCM-HEPES＋10% FCS, TCM-HEPES＋rPF(v/v, 50/50), or rPE only and examined the nuclear maturation after aceto-orcein or hochest staining. After identifying the optimal incubation time, this experiment was repeated for 5 times. Under the TCM-HEPES containing hormones and serum codition, the time range of porcine follicular oocyte maturation was 38 to 44 hours and the optimal time of maturation of follicular oocyte in vitro was 42 hour cultivation, respectively. The maturatin rates(89.4% and 92.7%) of porcine follicular oocytes cultured in the media with 50% rPF or only rPF were signifciantly higher thanthat (84.6%) of oocytes cultured with TCM-HEPES, respectively. These results suggest that the unknown components(s) of rPF promoted in vitro maturation of porcine follicular oocytes.