• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.107-113
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• 2012

Objective: To determine whether animal age impacts in vitro preantral follicle growth. Effects of hCG, stem cell factor (SCF), and/or insulin-like growth factor (IGF) supplementation in growth medium were also investigated. Methods: Intact preantral follicles were mechanically isolated from fresh ovaries of BDF1 mice and cultured in growth medium for 9 to 11 days. Surviving follicles with antrum formation were transferred to maturation medium for 14 to 18 hours. Follicle survival, antrum formation, and retrieval of metaphase II (MII) oocytes were compared among three age categories (4-5, 7-8, and 10-11 week-old). By using 7- to 8-week-old mice, preantral follicles were cultured in growth medium supplemented with hCG (0, 5, or 10 mIU/mL), SCF (50 ng/mL), IGF-1 (50 ng/mL), and SCF+IGF-1. Results: Seven- to eight-week-old mice showed a higher follicle survival and antrum formation and produced more MII oocytes compared to other groups. In the 7- to 8-week-old mice, supplementation of 5 mIU/mL hCG significantly enhanced the antrum formation but the percentage of MII oocytes was similar to that of the control. Supplementation of SCF+IGF-1 did not enhance follicle survival or antrum formation but the percentage of MII oocytes increased modestly (39.1%) than in the control (28.6%, p>0.05, statistically not significant). Conclusion: Seven- to eight-week-old mice showed better outcomes in growth of preantral follicles in vitro than 4- to 5- or 10- to 11-week-old mice. Supplementation of hCG enhanced antrum formation and supplementation of SCF+IGF-1 yielded more mature oocytes; hence, these should be considered in the growth of preantral follicles in vitro.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.255-260
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• 2001

In mammals, most of the follicles can not be ovulated, and instead, are degenerated throughout the entire reproductive period. However, the precise mechanism of follicle atresia is unknown. Three weeks old female mice (ICR strain) were ${\gamma}$-irradiated with a dose of LD$^{50}$ . Before irradiation (day 0) and at day 1, 2, and 3 after irradiation, the normal and atretic preantral and antral follicles of the left ovaries were morphologically observed. Atretic follicles at 2 days after irradiation had numerous cell debris, apoptotic cells and bodies, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the antral cavity. In severely atretic follicles, numerous polymorphonuclear leukocytes infiltrated into the follicle. The frequencies of atretic antral (58.0 $\pm$8.6) and preantral follicles (27.3$\pm$11.2) induced by ${\gamma}$-radiation increased to 94.0$\pm$3.4 and 86.9$\pm$7.6, respectively at 2 days after irradiation (p<0.05). The number of follicles with one or more neutrophils in the largest cross sections at 2 and 3 days after irradiation significantly increased (p<0.05). It can be concluded that ${\gamma}$-radiation triggers the recruitment of neutrophils into the follicles during degeneration. The ovarian follicles can make a role of informative biological end-point useful for disaster-prevention.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.269-274
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• 2013

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of fibroblast co-culture on in vitro maturation (IVM) of prepubertal mouse preantral follicles. The intact preantral follicles were obtained from the ovaries of 12-14 day old mice and these were cultured individually in ${\alpha}$-minimal essential medium (${\alpha}$-MEM) supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS), $100mIU/m{\ell}$ recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH), 1% insulin-transferrin-selenium, $100{\mu}g/ml$ penicillin and $50{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ streptomycin as base medium for 12 days. A total of 200 follicles were cultured in base medium co-cultured with mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) (MEF group) (n=100) or only base medium as control group (n=100). Survival rate of follicles on day 12 of culture were significantly higher in the MEF group of 90.0%, compared with 77.0% of the control group (p=0.021). Follicle diameters on day 6 and 8 of the culture period were significantly larger in the MEF group than those in the control group (p=0.021, p=0.007, respectively). Estradiol levels in culture media on day 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 of the culture period were significantly higher in the MEF group (p=0.043, p=0.021, p=0.006, p<0.001 and p=0.008, retrospectively). Our data suggest that MEF cell co-culture on IVM of mouse preantral follicle increases survival rate and promotes follicular growth and steroid production.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2002

The aim of this study was to assess the developmental capacity of oocytes maturated in vitro after 10 days of culture when the preantral follicles were isolated from juvenile mice 10- and 20-day old, respectively, and to develop in vitro culture system that observed a view to morphology of follicles and nucleus maturation of oocytes. The antral-like cavities became formation after 6 days of culture in follicle isolated from 10- and 20-day old mice. The number of follicles were 21.5 and 33.3 in ovary isolated from 10- and 20-day old mice, respectively. The diameters of oocytes were 51.85 and 57.50 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ before culture and were grew 55.95 and 63.11 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ after culture for 10 days, in follicles isolated from 10- and 20-day old mice, respectively. The observation rates up to the M II and from GV to M II were 4.3 and 22.1%, and 14.5 and 61.1% after culture for 10 days in follicles isolated from 10- and 20-day old mice, respectively.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.4.1-4.16
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• 2023

Background: In vitro culture of preantral follicles is a promising technology for fertility preservation. Objectives: This study aims to investigate an optimized three-dimensional (3D) fetal bovine serum (FBS)-free preantral follicle culture system having a simple and easy operation. Methods: The isolated follicles from mouse ovaries were randomly divided in an ultra-low attachment 96-well plates supplement with FBS or bovine serum albumin (BSA) culture or encapsulated with an alginate supplement with FBS or BSA culture. Meanwhile, estradiol (E₂) concentration was assessed through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of culture supernatants. The diameter of follicular growth was measured, and the lumen of the follicle was photographed. Spindle microtubules of oocytes were detected via immunofluorescence. The ability of oocytes to fertilize was assessed using in vitro fertilization. Results: The diameters were larger for the growing secondary follicles cultured in ultra-low attachment 96-well plates than in the alginate gel on days 6, 8, and 10 (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the E2 concentration in the BSA-supplemented medium was significantly higher in the alginate gel than in the other three groups on days 6 and 8 (p < 0.05), and the oocytes in the FBS-free system could complete meiosis and fertilization in vitro. Conclusions: The present study furnishes insights into the mature oocytes obtained from the 3D culture of the preantral follicle by using ultra-low attachment 96-well plate with an FBS-free system in vitro and supports the clinical practices to achieve competent, mature oocytes for in vitro fertilization.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.11-12
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• 2005

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.54-55
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• 2001

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.133-142
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• 2002

The objective of this study was to examine maturation, fertilization and developmental rate of the in vitro-grown mouse oocytes, and to compare these results with those of oocytes grown and matured in vivo. The preantral follicles isolated from 12-day-old mice were cultured on Transwell-COL membrane inserts. After in vitro growth and maturation, 72.5 % of oocytes grown in vitro produced polar body which can be comparable to in vivo growth (70.5 %). However, the mean oocyte diameter of the in vitro group (69.6$\pm$2.1$\mu$m) was smaller than that of the in vivo group (73.3$\pm$3.0$\mu$m). The fertilization rate was significantly lower (p<0.05) in the in vitro group (76.5%) than in the in vivo group (90.2%), however, there was no difference in the percentage of monospermic and polyspermic oocytes between two groups. The capacities of in vitro grown ova to cleave and develop to blastocyst were (57.8 and 14.4%, respectively) significantly lower (p<0.001) than those of the in vivo counterpart (84.4 and 56.6%, respectively). Moreover, the mean number of cells per blastocyst was significantly lower (p<0.05) in the in vitro group (39.0$\pm$10.8) than in the in vivo group (60.5$\pm$12.5). Live young were produced from transferred 2-cell embryos derived from in vitro-grown and matured oocytes. In conclusion, the results show that in vitro-grown oocytes did not achieve the developmental capacity of in vitro-grown oocytes.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2001

연구목적: 본 연구는 생쥐 preantral follicles의 체외 배양 조건을 확립하고 이를 기초로 높은 체외 발달률 그리고 산자 생산률을 얻고자 하였다. 연구재료 및 방법 : Preantral follicles의 oocyte-granulosa cell complexes (OGCs)는 생후 12일된 FI ($C57BL{\times}CBA$)으로부터 난소를 적출하여 효소를 이용한 방법을 통해 획득하였다. 회수된 complexes는 10일 또는 12일 동안 체외 성장을 위해 Transwell-COL membrane insert로 옮겨졌고 5% FBS, 100 mIU/ml FSH, 100 mIU/ml hMC가 첨가된 ${\alpha}MEM$에서 배양되었다. 체외 성숙을 위해 1.5 IU/ml hCG가 첨가된 ${\alpha}MEM$에서 18 hrs 배양을 실시하였다. 그 후 M16에서 수정능력이 획득된 정자와 수정을 하여 4 hrs, 7 hts, 9 hrs 후에 10% FBS가 첨가된 modified M16 배양액에서 4일간 배양하거나 또는 bovine cumulus cell과 co-culture를 실시하였다. 그리고 형태적으로 정상적인 22개의 상실배와 포배를 2마리의 위임신 대리모 (ICR)의 자궁에 이식하여 산자 생산을 유도하였다. 결과: 1) OGCs 크기가 mouse preantral follicles의 핵 및 세포질 성숙에 미치는 영향을 조사하였을 때 $120{\sim}150{\mu}m$의 preantral follicles (MII: 33.0%, 난할률: 36.7%, 상실배 이상; 20.9%)은 핵 및 세포질 성숙에 있어서 $70{\sim}110{\mu}m$ (MII: 12.2%, 난할률: 10.2%, 상실배 이상: 4.8%)보다 더 높았다(p<0.001). 2)체외 성장기간의 연장이 mouse preantral follicles의 핵 및 세포질 성숙에 미치는 영향을 조사하였을 때 10일 (난할률: 38.2%)은 12일 (난할률: 20.0%)보다 난할률에서만 더 높았다 (p<0.01). 3) 체외 수정 시간의 연장이 mouse preantral follicle의 세포질 성숙에 미치는 영향을 조사하였을 때 9 hrs (난할룰 31.5%, 상실배 이상: 14.3%)은 4 hrs (난할률: 17.5%, 상실배 이상: 4.8%), 7 hrs (난할률: 20.4%, 상실배 이상: 6.1%) 보다 세포질성숙에 있어서 유의하게 높은 발달률을 나타냈다 (p<0.01). 4) 공배양이 mouse preantral follicle의 세포질성숙에 미치는 영향을 조사하였을 때 공배양 (상실배 이상: 17.4%)을 실시했을 때와 M16 (상실배 이상17.4%)에서 배양되었을 때는 차이가 없었다. 5)preantral follicle의 크기 ($120{\sim}150{\mu}m$), 체외 성장기간 (10일), 체외 수정 기간 (9시간), 배양 환경 (단지 medium만 존재)의 적절한 결과들을 종합하여 수행하였을 때 MII 성숙률, 난할률, 상실배 이상의 발달률은 30.2%, 39.3%, 22.5%이었고 총 22개의 상실배 및 포배를 2마리의 대리모에 이식했을 때 1마리가 임신했고 1마리의 산자를 생산했다. 결론: 따라서, 본 실험은 preantral follicle을 이용한 체외 배양 시스템이 생쥐 oocyte를 공급하는 또 다른 방법으로 효과적으로 이용될 수 있다는 것을 시사한다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.629-634
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• 2012

This study was conducted to improve the yield of mature oocytes from in vitro-culture of ovarian primary follicles by optimizing follicle retrieval from neonatal mice of different ages. Primary follicles of 75 to $99{\mu}m$ in diameter were collected daily from 7- to 14-day-old neonatal mice, and subsequently cultured in ${\alpha}$-MEM medium. Number of primary follicles isolated, growth of the follicle during in vitro-culture and maturation of intrafollicular oocytes were monitored. Overall, mean number of preantral follicles per animal was improved from 10.7 to 88.7 as the age of follicle donors was increased from 7 to 14-day-old. Number of primary follicles was increased gradually up to 11-day-old (35.7 follicle per an animal), then reduced to 29 in 14-day-old (p = 0.0013). More follicles retrieved from 10-day-old or 11-day-old females maintained their morphological normality at the end of primary culture than the follicles retrieved from 9-day-old. Of those cultured, primary follicles retrieved from 11-day-old mice yielded largest larger number of early secondary follicles than the follicles retrieved from in the other ages (39 vs. 13 to 29%). More than 3.3-times increase (0.86 to 2.86; p<0.05) in an average number of mature oocytes per animal was observed in the group of 11-day-old, compared with 9-day-old. However, no difference was found in the percentage of primary follicles developing into the pseudoantral stage (21 to 30%; p = 0.5222) and in the percentage of oocytes mucified (32 to 39%; p = 0.5792). In conclusion, a positive correlation between retrieval time and follicle growth was detected, which influences the efficiency to derive mature oocytes by follicle culture.