• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.188-195
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• 1991

The effect of lanthanum ion (La3 +), which is associated with the mobilization of internal calcium, on the regulation of oocyte maturation was investigated with Rana dybowskii follicles. Follicular oocytes matured (germinal vesicle breakdown, GVBD) dose dependently when they were exposed to La3+ (O.O1-1.O mM) and the maturation occurred in 9-12 hours after the la3+(0.33 mM) stimulation. lanthanum also accelerated the onset of maturation of the lollicular oocytes exhibiting spontaneous maturation. Three hours of exposure to La3+ was enough to induce the maturation. The La3 + -induced maturation was not associated with progesterone production by follicle cells, and the maturation was inhibited by forskolin (9 $\mu$ M), and cyclobeximide (0.01 - 1.0 - $\mu$g/2 ml) in the medium. The La3+ and hormone stimulated maturation showed the same patterns of protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation during the maturation. The data suggest that the oocyte maturation by La3+ stimulation is very similar to that by progesterone. Thus, it seems that internal mobilization of Ca2+ plays a key role in the initiation of oocyte maturation in amphibia.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.181-187
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• 1991

We previously showed that transient exposure of Rana dybowskii follicles to exogenous cAMP in vitro could induce meiotic maturation. The present experiments were carried out to acertain whether the exogenous cAMP penetrate into the follicles. Isolated follicles were precultured in the medium containing cAMP (2.5 mM) for 6 hours and then cultured further in plain medium for 18 hours. The change of intrafollicular cAMP levels during the culture period were examined by utilizing cAMP radioimmunoassay (RIA). The intrafollicular levels of cAMP increased about thirty times of the basal level (about 3 p mole/follicle) in two hours and reached a peak in six hours (170 p mole/follicle) during the preculture period. However, when the follicles were transferred to plain medium, the levels decreased markedly in six hours to very low levels (about 10 p mole/ follicle), and kept the same levels thereafter. But the levels did not decrease to the basal levels. The increase and decrease of the intrafollicular cAMP was not affected by the presence of isobutyl methylxanthine (IBMX) or progesterone. The data suggest that exogenous cAMP pene-trate into the follicles and the cAMP accumulated by the follicles are degraded very rapidly.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.174-181
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• 1994

3 종의 한국산개구리를 사용하여 여포들이 생성하는 스테로이드와 난자의 성숙능이 번식기 근처에서 어떻게 변하는가를 조사하였다. 개구리의 여포를 생체외 배양하면서 이들이 뇌하수체추출물(frog pituitary homogenate, FPH) 혹은 CAMP의 자극으로 생성하는 progesterone(Pa)과 testosterone(T)의 양을 측정하여 이로부터 P4yT의 비율을 구하였으며 여포난자들이 FPH. P4 혹은 12-0-tetrsdecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate(TPA)에 반응하여 성숙을 일으키는 시기를 조사하였다. 북방산개구리의 여포난자는 11월 부터 호르몬에 반응하여 성숙을 일으켰으며 2월에 PJT의 비율이 급격히 증가하였다 참개구리는 5월에 가서of PJT의 비율이 현저히 증가하고 FPH에 반응하여 성숙을 일으켰다. 그러나 P4에 의한 난자성숙은 3월부터 시작하였다 옴개구리는 7월에 P4/T 비율의 증가가 있었으며 이때부터 또한 TPA에 반응하여 난자의 성숙을 일으켰다 따라서 3종의 개구리에서 모두 각각의 번식기 근처에서 PJT의 비가 급격히 증가하고 또한 성숙능이 생긴다는 것을 알 수있었다.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.273-281
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• 1996

Previously, we have proposed a two-cell type model for follicular steroidogenesis inamphibians with Rana nigromacu lota. Present experiments were carried out to ascertain whether the model Is applicable to R. dybowskii. The role of theca layer were also reassessed by using granulosa cell-free pure theca layer (P-THEP). Theca/epithelium (THEP) layers, P-THEP layers, and granulosa cell enclosed-oocytes () were obtained from ovarian follicles of R. dybowskii by microdissection. Intact follicles (IFs) and different types of tissues were cultured for 6 hour in amphibian Ringer's m the presence or absence of FPII (0.05 gland/mi) or various steroid precursor (100 ng/ml). The amounts of product steroids converted by the components were measured by RIA. Exogenously added pregnenolone (P5) resulted in a marked increase in progesterone (P$_4$) by GCEOs (2143 pg/follicle) and IFs (2346 pg/follicle) but a smaller increase in P4 by THEP layer (495 pg/follicle). Addition of P$_4$ increased 17 a-hydroxyprogesterone (17 $\alpha$-OHP$_4$) levels by GCEOs (1118 pg/follicle) and IFs (1333 pg/follicle) but less by THEP layer (290 pg/follicle). However, much less amounts of P$_4$ or 17 $\alpha$-OHP$_4$ were producad by P-THEP layers than THEP in the presence of P5. Exogenous 1 7$\alpha$-OIIP$_4$ increased androstenedione (AD) levels by GCEOs (1415 pg/follicle) and IFs (561 pg/follicle) but not by THEP layers. In contrast, addition of AD resulted m a marked increase in testosterone (T) levels by TIIEP (2594 pg/follicle) and IFs (2223 pg/follide) but much less by GCEOs (339 pg/follicle). Exogenous T increased estradiol (E$_2$) levels by GCEOs (551pg/follicle) and IFs (887 pg/follicle), but not by THEP layer (<10 pg/follicle). Without addition of FPH or steroid precursors, very low or nondetectable levels of steroids were produced (< 20 pg/follicle) by all the types of follicular components examined. The data presented here indicate that the two-cell type model based on the study with R. nigromacu Iota is applicable to R. dybowskii and also suggest that the minor pathway, which convert P5 to 17$\alpha$-OHP$_4$, is not present in theca layer.