• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.41-46
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• 2014

IVM refers to the maturation of immature oocytes in culture after their recovery from small antral follicles at the stage prior to selection and dominance. IVM requires little or no FSH in vivo and has been proposed as an alternative to conventional IVF, since it reduces the primary adverse effects caused by controlled ovarian stimulation, including the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Moreover, IVM is a promising option for cases for which no standard protocol is suitable, such as FSH resistance, contraindications for ovarian stimulatory drugs, and the need for urgent fertility preservation. Recently, IVM has been used in women with regular cycles and normal ovaries. However, the pregnancy rate following IVM is suboptimal compared with that of conventional IVF, indicating that further studies to optimize the protocol and the culture conditions are warranted.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.143-147
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• 2013

Oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) is an assisted reproductive technology in which oocytes are retrieved from the antral follicles of unstimulated or minimally stimulated ovaries. IVM of human oocytes has emerged as a promising procedure. This new technology has advantages over controlled ovarian stimulation such as reduction of costs, simplicity, and elimination of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. By elimination or reduction of gonadotropin stimulation, IVM offers eligible infertile couples a safe and convenient form of treatment, and IVM outcomes are currently comparable in safety and efficacy to those of conventional in vitro fertilization. IVM has been applied mainly in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome or ultrasound-only polycystic ovaries, but with time, the indications for IVM have expanded to other uncommon situations such as fertility preservation, as well as to normal responders. In this review, the current clinical experiences with IVM will be described.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.165-173
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• 1992

In order to study the mechanism of follicle growth and maturation, and also to supplement the criteria identifying the follicle state of normal of atretic, the histochemical investigation on the ovarian follicles according to the ovarian cycle of mouse, rat and pig has been done. The intercellular space of granulosa cells, especailly Call-Exner body, and follicular fluid in the antrum showed positive to PAS, and blue stain by trichrome dye. The resutls suggest that the mucous polysaccharide was synthesized by the granulosa cells, and secreted into the antrum through Call-Exner body so as to be the components of the follicular fluid as the follicles proceeded to growth and maturation. The further the follicles proceeded to atresia the more densely their theca externa were stained blue by follicles proceeded to atresia the more densely their theca externa were stained blue by trichrome dye, and the more densely the granulosa cells were stained red by oil red 0 dye. Therefore, these staining methods can be applied to the criteria identifying the follicle atresia.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2022

In the present study, we investigated the effects of recombinant eel gonadotropins (rec-GTHs) on maturation induction in immature ovarian culture in vitro and sex steroid hormones in vivo in the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica. To study the in vitro effects of rec-GTHs on estradiol-17β (E2) production in immature ovarian tissues, ovarian tissues were incubated with different doses of rec-follicle-stimulating hormone (rec-FSH) or rec-luteinizing hormone (rec-LH). The results revealed that the E2 levels in the rec-FSH (0.1, 0.5, or 1 ㎍/mL)- and rec-LH (0.1 or 0.5 ㎍/mL)-treated groups were significantly higher than those in the female eels from the control group. Furthermore, to investigate the in vivo effects of rec-GTHs on the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and plasma sex steroid hormone levels, the eels were injected intraperitoneally with eel's ringer (control), salmon pituitary extract (SPE; for female eels), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; for male eels), rec-FSH, rec-LH, and rec-FSH + rec-LH once a week. The results revealed that except for the SPE and the hCG groups, none of the groups exhibited a significant difference in GSI values. However, in vivo plasma E2 levels increased at the end of 4 weeks after rec-FSH treatment in female eels. Based on these results, it is suggested that rec-GTHs may have a positive effect on sexual maturation in female eels; however, further studies on complementary rec-protein production systems and additional glycosylation of rec-hormones are needed to elucidate hormone bioactivity in vivo and in vitro.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 2014

Eyestalk ablation (ESA) is commonly used in aquaculture to stimulate ovarian maturation in crustaceans, and methyl farnesoate (MF) affects crustacean molting and reproduction. To investigate the physiological effects of ESA and MF treatments on the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, we compared the effects of single eyestalk removal and MF injections. The ESA group had the lowest survival rate (50%), and individuals in the $0.1{\mu}g$ and $1.0{\mu}g$ MF-treated groups had survival rates of 80 and 73.3%, respectively. Conversely, molting numbers were highest in the ESA group, and similar to those of the 1.0-${\mu}g$ MF group. To investigate shrimp growth, we measured body weight during the experimental period and found that individuals in the ESA and $1.0{\mu}g$ MF groups showed significant increases in body weight. Furthermore, to investigate the effects of ESA and MF treatments on gonadal maturation, the gonad somatic index (GSI) was calculated after the experiment. All treated groups (ESA and MF) had higher GSI values than the control group, but the ESA and $1.0{\mu}g$ MF groups were not significantly different. Using histological ovary analysis, we determined that all treated groups showed indications of the previtellogenic stage, unlike the control group (immature stage). These results suggest that the high-MF-concentration treatment produced effects similar to those of ESA with respect to molting number, growth, and ovarian maturation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.10-14
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• 2012

The ovarian follicles develop initially from primordial follicles. The majority of ovarian primordial follicles are maintained quiescently as a reserve for the reproductive life span. Only a few of them are activated and develop to an advanced follicular stage. The maintenance of dormancy and activation of primordial follicles are controlled by coordinated actions of a suppressor/activator with close communications with somatic cells and intra-oocyte signaling pathways. Many growth factors and signaling pathways have been identified and the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily plays important roles in early folliculogenesis. However, the mechanism of maintaining the dormancy and survival of primordial follicles has remained unknown for decades. Recently, since the first finding that all primordial follicles are activated prematurely in mice deficient forkhead box O3a, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) signaling pathway was reported to be important in the regulation of dormancy and initial follicular activation. With these informations on early folliculogenesis, clinical application can be expected such as in vitro maturation of immature oocytes or in vitro activation of follicles by PTEN inhibitor in cryopreserved ovarian cortical tissues for fertility preservation.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.217-222
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• 1996

For the ecological study on the gobioid (Favonigobius gymnauchen), samples were collected in the Korean coasts from 1983 to 1995, and the process of ovarian maturation, spawning season, settling period of young individuals and growth were investigated with the specimens collected from Kunsan coast. The ovarian egg development of this species underwent three stages; growth stage from March to April, maturity stage from May to June and spawning stage in July. All the adults died after spawning in late July. Young individuals of total length 10 mm began to live a bottom life in the tide pool of shallow waters in early and middle August. The total length of these individuals reached about 42.1 mm (mean 36.7 mm) in late November. The largest specimen examined in this study was 85.0mm of male. After that time, individuals of this species inhabited in subtidal zone from December to May of the next year. The Favonigobius gymnauchen is distributed at 17 areas of shallow waters and estuaries in the western and southern coasts of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 1997

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the follicular culture from which the oocytes originate on their subsequent in vitro maturation ability. Ovarian follicles were isolated and cultured according to size(1~2mm, 2~6mm and 6~8mm) for 42~44 h. The rates of germinal vesicle breakdown(GVBD) in each groups were 87%(65/75), 82%(80/97) and 89%(47/53), but the oocytes maturation were su, pp.essed at anaphase-I stage. In spite of the adding porcine follicular fluid and/or hormones in maturation medium, maturation ability of oocytes from follicle cultured for 21~22 h were inhibited. When oocytes from follicle cultured for 4 h at various temperature were incubated for 38~40 h, the rates of oocytes maturation from follicle cultured at 2$0^{\circ}C$(51%, 26/51) and 39$^{\circ}C$(54%, 26/48) were significant higher(P<0.05) than group cultured at 4$^{\circ}C$(33%, 19/58). On the other hand, the GVBD were stared 2 h after culture of follicle of oocytes. To summairze, oocytes maturation by follicular culture were inhibited at anaphase-I stage in porcine. When the follicle cultured for 4 h, maturation were completed to metaphase-II stage. However, rates of GVBD in oocytes from follicular culture were higher than oocytes cultured in medium.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.391-397
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• 2006

This study correlated changes in estradiol-l7$\beta$ ($E_2$), testosterone (T), 17$\alpha$,20-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP), and vitellogenin (VTG) levels with changes in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and ovarian histology during the annual reproductive cycle of the wild marbled sole, Limanda yokohamae. Synchronous oocyte development occurs in this fish. Ovary maturity was classified into four periods, based on histological observations: the spawning (December to February), post-spawning (February to April), recovery (May to August), and vitellogenic (September to November) periods. Seasonal changes in the GSI were inversely correlated with water temperatures and reflected the degree of ovarian maturity. Plasma VTG levels were correlated with changes in the GSI, which increased from September to a peak in January, and levels remained comparatively high until February. Estradiol-17$\beta$ was at baseline levels (<0.11 ng/mL) during the spring and summer, and peaked rapidly (1.55$\pm$0.445 ng/mL) from October to January. Plasma T and DHP levels had a similar profile; they rose markedly during the spawning period and remained low (or were not detectable) from spring through autumn. These data indicate that changes in plsama steroid hormones and VTG levels are correlated with the annual ovarian activity of the marbled sole. Based on these results and published reports, it appears that in this species DHP is the most important maturation-inducing steroid and that T is also related to final maturation.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.135.2-135
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• 1996

No Abstract, See Full Text