• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.657-665
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• 2020

The objective of this study was to investigate whether supplementation of pentoxifylline (PTX; phosphodiesterase inhibitor) to thawed boar semen improves the post-thaw motility of sperm and affects the efficiency of artificial insemination (AI) and further development. To determine the concentration of PTX for AI, frozen-thawed semen was incubated with 0, 5, 10, and 20 mM PTX in an extender freezing medium, respectively, after thawing. Kinematic properties of sperm were examined with a computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) system. In addition, viability and mitochondrial activity were also tested by LIVE/DEAD and a MitoTracker kit. There were no significant differences in the kinetic parameters of thawed sperm between control and treatment groups, but overall assessment parameters such as motility and rapid progressive were higher in the 10 mM PTX group. In the viability and mitochondrial assay, there were no significant differences observed in the PTX treatment, compared to the control. For further analysis, artificial inseminations were performed using frozen semen and 10 mM PTX treated cryopreserved semen, respectively. There were no differences in pregnancy rates and fetus weights among the groups until 30 and 40 days, but litter size was reduced and relatively low-birth weight was observed in the PTX group. In summary, our findings suggest that enhancement of in vitro sperm quality or non-toxicity supplemented by PTX may have detrimental effects on fetus development.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.253-257
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• 2009

To enhance the embryo preservation technology and better application of embryo transfer technique to the field (dairy science or animal reproduction. etc.), we examined the viabilities of bovine embryos produced in vitro and in vivo after cryopreservation according to their developmental stage and thawing temperature. Bovine embryos from in vivo/vitro fertilization (Hanwoo) were examined at day 7, 8, and 9. Survival rates and total cell numbers of in vivo fertilized embryos were as follows: morulae 68.8% and $67\;{\pm}\;6.0$; blastocysts 80.5% and $120\;{\pm}\;10$; expanded blastocysts 77.4% and $138\;{\pm}\;9.7$, respectively. Rates of embryo development for blastocysts and expanded blastocysts after thawing were significantly higher than that of morula stage embryos (p<0.05). While survival rates of in vitro fertilized embryos according to developmental stage showed no significant difference among groups (morula 67.9%; blastocyst 74.3%; and expanded blastocyst 79.4%), total cell numbers were significantly lower than those of other groups (morula $64\;{\pm}\;5.9$; blastocyst $116\;{\pm}\;8.7$; and expanded blastocyst $135\;{\pm}\;9.1$) For the viability according to thawing temperature, survival rate was higher in $37^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.275-279
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• 2009

The beneficial effect of glycerol as a cryoprotectant, especially for sperm cryopreservation, has been shown in many studies. However, glycerol is toxic to living cells, and boar sperm in particular show greater sensitivity to glycerol than sperm from other domestic animals. Amides have been studied as alternative cryoprotectants for freezing stallion sperm. Sperm frozen in methylformamide or dimethylformamide as cryoprotectants show similar motility when thawed compared with sperm frozen in glycerol. We evaluated the cryoprotective effects of dimethylformamide on boar sperm freezing. To test the effect of amides, the concentration of boar semen was adjusted to $10^9sperm/mL$, and seminal plasma was removed using Hulsen solution. After centrifugation, the pellet was diluted in modified-Modena B extender. Lactose-egg yolk (LEY) extender was used as the cooling extender. The freezing extender was madeed aaddition of the optimal amount of glycerol and amides to LEY-Glycerol-Orvus ES Paste extender, and this extender was used for the second dilution. Diluted sperm were frozen in liquid nitrogen using the 0.5 mL straw method. Sperm frozen in extender with glycerol as a cderol were compared with those frozen in extender including the different amides. Sperm were tested for motility, viability, the sperm chromatin structure assay, and normal apical ridge after thawing. The percent of motile sperm diluted in glycerol was as high as that in the stallion study (61%). Dimethylformamide showed positive effects on sperm quality and was better than glycerol. Methylformamide provided similar sperm quality as glycerol. Therefore, dimethylformamide is useful for reducing cryoinjury in boar sperm and is expected to be useful as an alternative cryoprotectant.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.757-762
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• 1993

The ovaries of Korean Native cows or heifers were obtained from an abattoir and kept on 20 to $25^{\circ}C$ and transported to laboratory within 2 hrs. The follicular oocystes were collected from 2~6mm follicles in diameter and classified into 3 grades by the morphology of cumulus cells attached. The oocytes were matured in vitro(IVM) for 24 hrs. in TCM-199 supplemented with $23{\mu}g/ml$ FSH, $10{\mu}g/ml$ LH, $1{\mu}g/ml$ estradio-17 ${\beta}$ and granulosa cells at $39^{\circ}C$ under 5% $CO_2$ in air. They were fertilized in vitro(IVF) by incubation for 12 hrs. of epididymal spermatozoa pretreated with heparin, and then the zygotes were co-cultured in vitro(IVC) with oviductal epithelial cells for 7 to 9 days. Assessment of maturation revealed that 93.0%(147/158) of grade I oocytes had expanded of cumulus cells, which was higher(p<0.05) than the 79.4%(85/107) of grade II oocytes. Compared to epididymal sperm(32.9%), the insemination with frozen and thawed sperm resulted in slightly lower(20.5%), but not significant, development to morulae and blastocysts from grade I oocytes. Co-culture of bovine IVF embryos with oviductal epithelial cells improved the development to transferable embryos significantly(38.1%), compared to co-culture with granulosa cells(20.0%). When VF bovine embryos were vitrified at blastocyst, the post-thaw survival rate was obtained higher resulf for 1 min. equilibration time(82.6%) or 2 min.(73.9%) than 3 min.(18.2%) in EFS solution.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.259-265
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• 2019

This study was designed to investigate the effects of alpha-glucosyl rutin (G-rutin) and its comparative effects with other antioxidants (glutathione: GSH, catalase: CATA and beta-mercaptoethanol : ${\beta}ME$) on dog sperm freezing. In the first experiment (E1), the spermatozoa were diluted in freezing extender supplemented with 0 (control), 0.001, 0.01, or 0.1% G-rutin and frozen using liquid nitrogen ($LN_2$). The progressive motility, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and apoptosis of spermatozoa were assessed after sperm thawing at $37^{\circ}C$ for 25 sec. In the second experiment (E2), 0.1% G-rutin group was compared with 10 mM ${\beta}-ME$, $5{\mu}M$ GSH and $50{\mu}M$ CATA groups by assaying progressive motility, viability and gene expression of Bcl-2 and SMCP after sperm freezing and thawing. In E1, 0.1% G-rutin group showed higher (P < 0.05) post-thaw progressive motility and lower (P < 0.05) ROS levels. In E2, the expressions of SMCP in G-rutin group were higher (P < 0.05) than in CATA group while Bcl-2 expression of G-rutin group was higher (P < 0.05) than ${\beta}-ME$ and CATA groups. However, there were no significant differences in progressive motility and viability. Therefore, we suggest that G-rutin can be used as a potentially antioxidative supplement in dog sperm freezing extender on the basis of gene expression related to motility and apoptosis as well as ROS level.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.187-192
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• 1997

The survival rate and motility recovered after cryopreservation of testicular spermatozoa in testicular sperm extraction (TESE)-ICSI program is low. The purpose of this study was to assess the availability and efficiency of mouse empty zona pellucida in cryopreserving human TESE spermatozoa. Mouse empty zonae pellucidae were obtained by extraction of cytoplasm with or without cytochalasin B treatment. Motile sperm from proven-fertile donor and two azoospermic patients after TESE were individually inserted into empty zona pellucida and cryopreserved. Two to five days after cyropreservation, the frozen sperm were thawed and the rates of recovery and motility were observed. The ooplasmic extraction rates of control (N=80) and cytochalasin B treated oocytes (N=80) were 94.0% and 96.2%, respectively (p>0.05). The post-thaw recovery rates of spermatozoa and rates of motility recovery of ejaculate (N=70) and testicular (N=70) sperm were 97.1%, 97.1% and 95.7%, 94.3%, respectively (p>0.05). The results of this study showed that the mouse zone pellucida is useful for cryostorage of single testicular spermatozoa.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2022

Sperm cryopreservation is a fundamental process for the long-term conservation of livestock genetic resources. Yet, the packaging method has been shown, among other factors, to affect the frozen-thawed (FT) sperm quality. This study aimed to develop a new mini-straw for sperm cryopreservation. In addition, the kinematic patterns, viability, acrosome integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of boar spermatozoa frozen in the developed 0.25 mL straw, 0.25 mL (minitube, Germany), or 0.5 mL (IMV technologies, France) straws were assessed. Post-thaw kinematic parameters were not different (experiment 1: total motility (33.89%, 32.42%), progressive motility (19.13%, 19.09%), curvilinear velocity (42.32, 42.86), and average path velocity (33.40, 33.62) for minitube and the developed straws, respectively. Further, the viability (38.56%, 34.03%), acrosome integrity (53.38%, 48.88%), MMP (42.32%, 36.71%) of spermatozoa frozen using both straw were not differ statistically (p > 0.05). In experiment two, the quality parameters for semen frozen in the developed straw were compared with the 0.5 mL IMV straw. The total motility (41.26%, 39.1%), progressive motility (24.62%, 23.25%), curvilinear velocity (46.44, 48.25), and average path velocity (37.98, 39.12), respectively, for IMV and the developed straw, did not differ statistically. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the viability (39.60%, 33.17%), acrosome integrity (46.23%, 43.23%), and MMP (39.66, 32.51) for IMV and the developed straw, respectively. These results validate the safety and efficiency of the developed straw and highlight its great potential for clinical application. Moreover, both 0.25 mL and 0.5 mL straws fit the present protocol for cryopreservation of boar spermatozoa.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.117-126
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• 2022

Objective: This study examined whether the addition of triple antioxidants (3A)-10 µM acetyl-L-carnitine, 10 µM N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and 5 µM α-lipoic acid-in freezing-thawing medium during human sperm cryopreservation using the sucrose vitrification (SuV) and liquid nitrogen vapor (Vapor) techniques could improve post-thaw survival of spermatozoa. Methods: We analyzed 30 samples from healthy human sperm donors. Each sample was allocated into one of five groups: fresh control, SuV, SuV+3A, Vapor, and Vapor+3A. The sperm motility, morphology, viability, intracellular and extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) were evaluated. Results: The cryopreserved spermatozoa had significantly reduced percentages of motility (p<0.05) and viability (p<0.05). Antioxidant supplementation non-significantly improved these parameters (p>0.05). No significant differences were found in sperm morphology between the fresh and frozen-thawed groups (p>0.05). After freezing, the extracellular ROS levels in the frozen-thawed groups were significantly higher (p<0.05) than in the fresh group. However, we did not find any differences in intracellular ROS parameters among these groups (p>0.05). The SDF was higher in the SuV and Vapor groups than in the fresh group, but without statistical significance (p=0.075 and p=0.077, respectively). Conclusion: Cryopreservation had detrimental effects on sperm motility, viability, and extracellular ROS levels, without changing the morphology or intracellular ROS levels. Antioxidant supplementation was slightly effective in preventing SDF in frozen-thawed spermatozoa.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.571-579
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• 2023

In this study, cryopreservation by droplet-vitrification was applied to pear (Pyrus spp.) germplasm. We focused on the development and assessment of various strategies for the selection of suitable tissue, osmoprotection, and dehydration. We also evaluated post-thaw recovery of cryopreserved explants by droplet-vitrification. Preferentially, we tested the effects of preculture and loading treatments to determine which tissues were more suitable, either the apical shoot tips or the axillary buds. Apical shoot tips showed the better regrowth rate than in vitro axillary buds. The most effective techniques for cryopreservation were as follows. Shoots from in vitro seedlings which had been cultured for about 5-6 weeks were cold-hardened at 4℃ for one week, excised shoot tips were precultured on liquid MS medium including 0.3 M sucrose for 31 hours and 0.7 M sucrose for 17 hours, osmoprotected in loading solution (LS) for 40 min, and then cryoprotected in dehydration solution (PVS3) for 90 min. In addition, we found that regrowth rates of explants on regrowth medium after exposure to liquid nitrogen (LN) were higher than those on MS medium. Results indicated that the highest regrowth percentage was 95.6% for 'Bartlett' cultivar and 68.9% for 'BaeYun No.3' cultivar. Consequently, apical shoot tips of two pear cultivars, 'Bartlett' (P. communis) and 'BaeYun No.3' (P. pyrifolia), were successfully cryopreserved by droplet-vitrification. Results of this study show that the enhanced droplet-vitrification method described in the present study could be used as an effective means for long-term storage of pear genetic resources.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2024

Background: Using cryovial for freezing dog spermatozoa provides a practical method to increase extended sperm volume and shorten the time required for equilibration by using a simple freezing techniques. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal thawing condition for dog sperm cryopreservation using cryovials. Methods: For sperm freezing, cryovials with 200 × 10⁶ sperm/mL were cooled after the addition of tris egg yolk extender (TEY) at 4℃ for 20 min, then TEY with 4% glycerol was added and equilibrated for another 20 min before being aligned over LN₂ vapor for another 20 min and plunged directly into LN₂. Spermatozoa were thawed in a water bath at 37℃ for varying times (25 sec, 60 sec, 90 sec, and 120 sec) in the first experiment. In the second experiment, spermatozoa were thawed in a water bath at various temperatures and times (37℃ for 1 min, 37℃ for 1 min with gentle stirring, 24℃ for 24 min, and 75℃ for 20 sec). In these experiments, the effect of thawing conditions on motility parameters, viability (SYBR-14/PI), and acrosome integrity (PSA/FITC) of spermatozoa were investigated. Results: The post-thaw sperm motility parameters, viability, and acrosome integrity were not significantly different across the experimental groups. Conclusions: In this study, the characteristics of spermatozoa frozen using cryovials were not significantly affected by various thawing conditions.