• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제32권7호
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• pp.956-965
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• 2019

Objective: The main goal of this study was to provide a morphological indicator that could be used to select high-quality oocytes of appropriate meiotic and developmental capabilities in pig. The higher quality of immature oocytes, the higher success rates of in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Thus, prior to the IVM culture, it is important to characterize oocytes morphologically and biochemically in order to assess their quality. Two of the largest indicators of oocyte quality are the presence of cumulus cells and status of chromatin. To investigate the effects of porcine oocyte chromatin configurations on the developmental capacity of blastocysts, we assessed oocyte chromatin status according to follicle size and measured the developmental potency of blastocysts. Methods: To sort by follicle size, we divided the oocytes into three groups (less than 1 mm, 1 to 3 mm, and more than 3 mm in diameter). To assess chromatin configuration, the oocytes were assessed for their stages (surrounded nucleolus [SN] germinal vesicle [GV], non-surrounded nucleolus [NSN] GV, GV breakdown, metaphase I [MI], pro-metaphase II [proMII], and metaphase II [MII]) at different maturation times (22, 44, and 66 h). To assess the development rate, oocytes of each follicle size were subjected to parthenogenetic activation for further development. Finally, GV oocytes were grouped by their chromatin configuration (SN, SN/NSN, and NSN) and their global transcriptional levels were measured. Results: SN GV oocytes were more suitable for IVF than NSN GV oocytes. Moreover, oocytes collected from the larger follicles had a greater distribution of SN GV oocytes and a higher developmental capacity during IVM, reaching MII more quickly and developing more often to blastocysts. Conclusion: Porcine oocytes with high-level meiotic and developmental capacity were identified by analyzing the relationship between follicle size and chromatin configuration. The porcine oocytes from large follicles had a significantly higher SN status in which the transcription level was low and could be better in the degree of meiotic progression and developmental capacity.

• 한국동물번식학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국동물번식학회 2001년도 춘계학술발표대회
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• pp.41-41
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• 2001

Chromatin configuration and microtubule assembly were determined in porcine maturing and activated oocytes following intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Microtubule localization was confirmed using a mouse monoclonal antibody to $\alpha$-tubulin and detected using a fluorescent labeled goat anti-mouse secondary antibody. DNA was stained with propidium iodide. The image of microtubules and chromatin was captured using laser scanning confocal microscope. In germinal vesicle stage oocyte, sperm chromatin remained condensation and sperm derived microtubules were not observed at 8 to 12 h after sperm injection. At 24 h after injection, the sperm nucleus developed to the metaphase chromatin along the metaphase structure of female nucleus. In some metaphase I stage oocytes, sperm chromatin decondensed at 8 h to 12 h after injection, sperm aster was seen soon after sperm injection. At 24 h after sperm injection into metaphase I stage oocyte, male chromatin developed to the metaphase chromatin while female chromatin extruded first polar body and formed the metaphase chromatin. At 12 to 15 h after sperm injection into preactivated oocytes, condensed sperm nucleus was located in close proximity of female pronucleus. However, the condensed nucleus did not fuse with female pronucleus. In preactivated ocytes, injected sperm remained condensation, a few sperm organized small microtubular aster. Instead, maternal derived microtubules were organized near the female chromatin, which seem to move condensed male chromatin near to the female pronucleus. These results suggest that sperm nuclear decondensing activity and nucleation activity of centrosome during fertilization are cell cycle dependent. In absence of male functional centrosome, female origin centrosome takes over the role of microtubule nucleation for nuclear movement.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.169-173
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• 2010

Correlations between cumulus cells and germinal vesicle (GV) chromatin configuration were examined in porcine oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from 2~6 mm follicles and divided into three categories according to cumulus cell morphology. "A" group was compacted COCs with more than three cumulus cell layers. "B" group was COCs with less cumulus cell layers than "A" group. "C" group was COCs with one or less layer of cumulus cells. Cumulus cells were removed 0.1% hyaluronidase, and denuded oocytes were stained with Hoechst 33342. GV chromatin configuration was classified into GV-Con and GV-Dis. GV-Con meant that a nucleus was surrounded by condensed chromatin in a ring. GV-Dis meant that filamentous chromatin clumps were distributed in nucleus. The proportion (80.2%) of GV-Con in "A" group was significantly higher than "B" (62.0%) or "C" (44.9%). The proportion (55.1%) of GV-Dis in "C" group was significantly higher than "A" (19.8%) or "B" (38.0%). The meiotic competence of COCs was examined after 44 h culture. The proportion (90.0%) of oocytes reaching to metaphase II (M-II) in "A" group was significantly higher than "B" (76.5%) or "C" (45.5%). In conclusion, oocytes with good quality cumulus cell layers are synchronized early GV stage, and early GV stage is important for meiotic competence in pigs.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.195-202
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• 1998

본 연구에서는 돼지 난자 내에 돼지, 사람, 소 및 생쥐의 정자를 미세 주입한 후 전핵형성과ㅏ 전핵의 이동을 관찰하였다. 핵과 미세소관은 정자 주입 후 간접면역 형광염색을 실시한 후 공초점주사현미경으로 관찰하였다. 돼지 난자 내에 돼지정자를 직접 주입하였을 경우 일반적인 수정과정과 동일하게 정자중편부에서 성상체가 형성되었고, 이 성상체에 의해서 웅성 및 자성 전핵의 이동(44%), 유사분열(3%) 및 2-세포기(13%)까지 정상적인 수정이 이루어지는 것을 관찰할 수가 있었다. 반면에 이종(사람, 소 및 생쥐)의 정자를 돼지난자에 직접 주입하였을 경우 단위발생시 난 활성이 유도된 난자와 같이 난자자체에서 형성된 미세소관에 의해 전핵이 이동(47, 30 및 17%)하는 것을 볼 수가 있었다. 하지만, 접합체 형성 및 2-세포기로의 분리되는 과정은 관찰할 수 없었다. 이러한 결과로 돼지 난자 내에 이종의 정자가 주입되었을 때 정자의 핵은 비록이적으로 전핵으로 발달되고 난자 중심부로 이동된다는 것을 보여주는 것인데, 이때 전핵을 움직이는 것은 정자에서 유래된 중심체에 의한 것이 아니라 난자세포질 자체의 미세소관에 의한 것으로 관찰되었다.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제11권6호
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• pp.2124-2128
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• 2010

본 연구에서는 MAPK 저해제인 U0126이 난자성숙과정에서 특히 감수분열, 미세소관 형성 그리고 액틴 필 라먼트 형성에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 그 결과 MAPK 단백질은 12시간째에 인산화되기 시작하여, 24시간째에 대부분 인산화 되었고 metaphase II에 이르기 까지 유지되었다. 배포단계(GV)에 있는 난자를 U0126의 $20{\mu}M$ 농도로 처리하였을 때 MAPK의 인산화가 완전히 억제되었으나 배포의 파열 단계(GVBD)로의 성숙에는 진행하였으나, metaphase I까지는 발달하지 못하였다. 또한 MAPK 저해제로 인해 비정상적인 방추사의 형성을 초래하였다. 난자를 배포의 파열단계(GVBD) 이후에 U0126을 처리하였을 때 극체의 방출은 정상 이였으나 중기 판의 배열과 염색체의 분열은 비정상적 이였다. 결론적으로, 유사분열 활성화 효소단백질인 MAPK의 활성은 돼지 난자의 체외성숙과정에서 배포단계(GV)의 염색체의 배열과 감수분열의 완성에 중요한 조절 인자임을 이번 연구를 통해 알 수 있었다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제28권12호
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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.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.361-368
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• 2002

The onset of pronucleus formation and DNA synthesis in porcine oocytes following the injection of porcine or murine sperm was determined in order to obtain insights into species-specific paternal factors that contribute to fertilization. After 44h in vitro maturation, spermatozoa was injected into the cytoplasm of oocytes. After injection, all oocytes were transferred to NCSU23 medium and cultured at 39'E under 5% CO2 in air. Similar frequencies of oocytes with female pronuclei were observed after injection with porcine sperm or with murine sperm. In contrast, male pronuclei formed 8 to 9 h following the injection of porcine sperm, and 6 to 8 h following the injection of murine sperm. After pronucleus formation maternally derived microtubules were assembled and appeared to move both male and female pronuclei to the oocyte center. A few porcine oocytes entered metaphase 22 h after the injection of murine sperm, but normal cell division was not observed. The mean time of onset of S-phase in male pronuclei was 9.7 h following porcine sperm injection and 7.4 h following mouse sperm injection. These results suggested that DNA synthesis was delayed in both pronuclei until the sperm chromatin fully decondensed, and the sperm nuclear decondensing activity and microtubule nucleation abilities of the male centrosome are cell cycle dependent.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.237-241
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• 2012

Embryonic genome activation (EGA) is the first major transition that occurs after fertilization, and entails a dramatic reprogramming of gene expression that is essential for continued development. Although it has been suggested that EGA in porcine embryos starts at the four-cell stage, recent evidence indicates that EGA may commence even earlier; however, the molecular details of EGA remain incompletely understood. The RNA polymerase II of eukaryotes transcribes mRNAs and most small nuclear RNAs. The largest subunit of RNA polymerase II can become phosphorylated in the C-terminal domain. The unphosphorylated form of the RNA polymerase II largest subunit C-terminal domain (IIa) plays a role in initiation of transcription, and the phosphorylated form (IIo) is required for transcriptional elongation and mRNA splicing. In the present study, we explored the nuclear translocation, nuclear localization, and phosphorylation dynamics of the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain in immature pig oocytes, mature oocytes, two-, four-, and eight-cell embryos, and the morula and blastocyst. To this end, we used antibodies specific for the IIa and IIo forms of RNA polymerase II to stain the proteins. Unphosphorylated RNA polymerase II stained strongly in the nuclei of germinal vesicle oocytes, whereas the phosphorylated form of the enzyme was confined to the chromatin of prophase I oocytes. After fertilization, both unphosphorylated and phosphorylated RNA polymerase II began to accumulate in the nuclei of early stage one-cell embryos, and this pattern was maintained through to the blastocyst stage. The results suggest that both porcine oocytes and early embryos are transcriptionally competent, and that transcription of embryonic genes during the first three cell cycles parallels expression of phosphorylated RNA polymerase II.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.69-73
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• 2003

본 연구에서는 TCM-199, mSOF, NCSU-23 세 종류의 배지의 자연 단위 발생 유도로 형성된 돼지 배아의 초기 발육에 대한 효과를 조사하였다. 실험 1에서는 세 종류의 배지에서 체외 성숙된 도축장 유래 돼지 난자의 성숙율을 성숙 48 시간째 핵상 관찰로 조사하였다. 각 배지에서의 핵 성숙율은 mSOF군에서 83.1$\pm$2%, NCSU-23 군에서 78.0$\pm$3%, TCM-199군에서 83.5$\pm$2%로 세 배지의 난자 성숙율에 대한 유의적 차이는 없었다(P(0.05). 실험 2에서는 돼지 난자의 전핵 형성률, 단위 발생으로 형성된 배아의 분할율, 6-8세포기까지의 발육율 등이 각각 체외 성숙 55-58 시간, 96시간 그리고 168 시간 후에 관찰되었다. 전핵 형성율 (5.4$\pm$2 % in mSOF and 3.7$\pm$1% in NCSU-23 vs 1.7$\pm$3% in TCM-199) 그리고 6-8cell까지의 발육율은 (3.2$\pm$3% in mSOF and 4.0$\pm$1% in NCSU-23 vs 1.4$\pm$3% in TCM-199) mSOF군과 NCSU-23군에서 유의적으로 높았다(P<0.05). 이상의 결과를 볼 때 mSOF 배지와 NCSU-23 배지에서 장시간 배양에 의한 난자의 단위발생 유도율이 유의적으로 높았다.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.1-11
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• 2018

Cellular cyclic adenosine-3' 5'-monophosphate (cAMP) modulator is known as meiotic inhibitor and can delays spontaneous maturation in IVM experiment. Among many cAMP modulators, the role of Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) on IVM isn't known. The purpose of this study is to improve the maturation of oocytes derived from follicles ${\leq}3mm$ in diameter through PACAP as meiotic inhibitor during pre-in vitro maturation (pre-IVM). First, we checked PACAP and its receptors in cumulus cells and, to establish the optimal phase and concentration of PACAP for pre-IVM, we conducted chromatin configuration assessments. As a result, the rate of GV (Germinal Vesicle) according to duration of pre-IVM was significantly decreased 12 h and 18 h after IVM (87.1 and 84.1%, respectively) compared to 0 h (99.4%). When COC was cultured for 18 h, the GV rate in the $1{\mu}M$ of PACAP treatment group (82.1%) was significantly higher than any other PACAP treatment groups (60.5, 64.1, 74.4 and 69.9 %, respectively). So, we divided into four groups as follows; MF (the conventional IVM group, obtained from follicle from 3 to 6 mm in diameter), SF (the conventional IVM group, obtained from follicle ${\leq}3mm$ in diameter), Pre-SF(-)PACAP (IVM group including 18 h pre-IVM without $1{\mu}M$ of PACAP, obtained from follicle ${\leq}3mm$ in diameter) and Pre-SF(+)PACAP (IVM group including 18 h pre-IVM with $1{\mu}M$ of PACAP, obtained from follicle ${\leq}3mm$ in diameter). To examine the effect of PACAP during pre-IVM, we investigated analysis of nuclear maturation, intracellular glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. In cumulus cells, PACAP receptors, ADCYAP1R1 and VIPR1 were detected but were not detected in oocytes. After IVM, the Pre-SF(+)PACAP had the highest Metaphase II rate (91.7%) among all groups (P<0.05). The GSH levels in the MF and Pre-SF(+)PACAP were significantly higher than in the other groups (P<0.05) and ROS levels was no significant difference among all groups. In conclusion, these results indicated that even though the oocytes were derived from SF, pre-IVM application of PACAP improved meiotic and cytoplasmic maturation by regulating intracellular oxidative stress.