• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of donor cell types, the source of recipient oocytes and estrous synchronization on pregnancy and delivery rates of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos in Korean native goats. Recipient oocytes were surgically collected after superovulation. Ear cells and fetal fibroblasts were collected and cultured in serum-starvation condition (TCM-199 + 0.5% FBS) for cell confluence. The zonae pellucidae of in vivo- and in vitro-matured oocytes were partially drilled using a laser system. Single somatic cell was transferred into the enucleated oocyte. The reconstructed oocytes were electrically fused with 0.3 M mannitol. After the fusion, embryos were activated by Ionomycin+6-DMAP. NT embryos were cultured in mSOF medium supplemented with 0.8% BSA at $39^{\circ}C$ in an atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$, 5% $O_2$, 90% $N_2$ for 12 to 20 hr. One hundred and two SCNT embryos were transferred into 20 recipients and pregnancy rate at days 30 was 20.0%. Of them, one developed to term and delivered 1 kid. Ear cells showed significantly higher fusion (63.8 vs. 26.5%) and pregnancy rates (20.0 vs. 0.0%) than those of fetal fibroblast (p<0.05). The recipients synchronized by CIDR showed significantly lower pregnancy rates compared to that of recipient in natural estrus ($0.0{\sim}25.0%$ vs. 100%) (p<0.05). Cloned kid was born from the recipient in natural estrus. For the synchronization of estrus between recipient and donor, there was no difference between treatments (${\pm}0$ vs. +12 hr) in pregnancy rate. The first healthy cloned kid (Jinsoonny) was produced by transfer of SCNT embryos derived from in vivo oocytes and ear cells into a recipient goat whose estrus was synchronized with the donor. These results imply that donor cells for nuclear transfer may affect the success rate, and the estrus synchronization between donor and recipient animals can also be important.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.197-201
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• 2011

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of donor cell treatments on the production of transgenic cloned piglets. Ear fibroblast cell obtained from NIH MHC Inbred minipig was used as control. The GalT knock-out/CD45 knock-in (GalT/CD46) transgenic cell lines were established and used as donor cells. The reconstructed GalT/CD46 embryos were surgically transferred into oviduct of naturally cycling surrogate sows (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire) on the second day of standing estrus. Unlike control (1.2 kV/cm, 75.4%), the fusion rate of the GalT/CDl6 donor cells was significantly higher in 1.5 kV/cm, (84.5%) than that of 1.25 kV/cm, (20.2%) (p<0.01). When the number of the transferred embryos were more than 129, the pregnancy and delivery rates were increased to 13/20 (65%) and 5/20 (25%) compared to less then 100 group [1/6 (16.7%) and 0/6 (0%)], respectively. To analyze the effect of donor cell culture condition on pregnancy and delivery rates, the GalT/CD46 donor cells were cultured with DMEM or serum reduced medium. In serum reduced medium group, the pregnancy and delivery rates were improved to 8/12 (66.7%) and 5/12 (41.7%) compared to DMEM group [3/7 (42.9%) and 0/7 (0%)], respectively. In conclusion, it can be postulated that an appropriate fusion condition and culture system is essential factors to increase the efficiency of the production of transgenic cloned piglets.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2000

This study was investigated the developmental potential of bovine embryos following nuclear transfer with bovine fetal fibroblasts (BFF). BFF were isolated from a male 45-day-old-fetus. Non-starved BFF labeled with MitoTracker were transferred into perivitelline space of enucleated oocytes. BFF-oocyte units were fused by electric pulse, and then fused oocytes were activated with calcium ionophore A23187 and subsequently 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP). The resulting zygotes were placed into CRlaa bovine embryo culture medium. Transfer of the nucleus into enucleated oocyte led to premature chromosome condensation, swelling and pronucleus formation. Remodeled oocytes were developed to the mitotic and 2-cell stage at 18 to 26 h after nuclear transfer. The incidence of in vitro development to the blastocyst stages was 21% of fused oocytes. Mitochondria of BFF eliminated rapidly and were not detected at 8 h after fusion. These results suggest that BFF can be successfully reprogrammed in enucleated bovine oocytes, and that reconstructed embryos can develop to the blastocyst stage.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.171-178
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of electric fusion methods on cell fusion rate and embryo development by somatic cell nuclear transfer in Korean Native Cattle. The KNC ear cell was cultured in vitro for confluence in serum starvation condition(DMEM＋0.05％ FBS) for cell confluence. The zona pellucida of IVM oocytes were partially dissection using micro pipette. Ear cells were transferred into an enucleated oocyte. The reconstructed embryos were electrically fused with Zimmermann Cell Fusion Medium(ZCFM). Nuclear transfer embryos were activated with a combination of 10${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ calcium ionophore(5 min) and 2.0mM 6-DMAP(3 hr). The activated embryos were cultured in CR1 -aa medium contains 0.3％ BSA or 10％ FBS at 37$^{\circ}C$, 90％ $N_2$, and 5％ $CO_2$in incubator for 6 days. The fusion rates were 51.6％(chamber) and 68.9％(needle), respectively and there were significantly difference between the fusion method(P<0.05). But, lysis rates were not significantly different(10.7％, 11.5％), respectively. The cleavage rates were significantly different between the chamber method(73.2％) and needle method(80.3％), respectively(P<0.05). The rates of early embryos(2∼4cells) and blastocysts of chamber and needle methods were 54.1％, 61.1％ and 18.4％, 26.3％ respectively, and needle method was significantly higher than chamber method(P<0.05). But, morulae formation rate were not significantly differences between the chamber(6.7％) and needle(6.2) method(P <0.05). These result suggest that electric fusion of needle method was to be profitable for nuclear transfer embryo fusion rate, blastocyst formation rate and reduce of oocyte lysis.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2015

The Korean native pig (KNP) have been considered as animal models for animal biotechnology research because of their relatively small body size and their presumably highly inbred status due to the closed breeding program. However, little is reported about the use of KNP for animal biotechnology researches. This study was performed to establish the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) protocol for the production of swine leukocyte antigens (SLA) homotype-defined SCNT KNP. The ear fibroblast cells originated from KNP were cultured and used as donor cell. After thawing, the donor cells were cultured for 1 hour with 15 ${\mu}M$ roscovitine prior to the nuclear transfer. The numbers of reconstructed and parthenogenetic embryos transferred were $98{\pm}35.2$ and $145{\pm}11.2$, respectively. The pregnancy and delivery rate were 3/5 (60%) and 2/5 (40%). One healthy SLA homotype-defined SCNT KNP was successfully generated. The recipient-based individual cloning efficiency ranged from 0.65 to 1.08%. Taken together, it can be postulated that the methodological establishment of the production of SLA homotype-defined cloned KNP can be applied to the generation of transgenic cloned KNP as model animals for human disease and xenotransplantation researches.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.245-252
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• 2002

This study was to evaluate the in vitro survival of bovine enucleated MII (eMII) oocytes according to minimum volume cooling (MVC) freezing method and activation timing, and their in vitro development after somatic cell nuclear transfer (SONT). in vitro matured bovine oocytes for 20 h were stained with 5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ Hoechst, and their 1st polar body and MII plate were removed by enucleation micropipette under UV filter. Also, eMII oocytes were subjected to activation after (group II) and before (group III) vitrification in 5 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ ionomycin added CRlaa medium for 5 min. For vitrification, eMll oocytes were pretreated with EG10 for 5 min, exposed to EG30 for 30 sec and then directly plunged into L$N_2$. Thawing was taken by 4-step procedures at 37$^{\circ}C$. Survived eMII oocytes were subjected to SONT with cultured adult bovine ear cells. Reconstructed oocytes were cultured in 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ of cycloheximide and 2.5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ of cytochalasin D added CRlaa medium for 1 h, and then in 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ of cycloheximide added CRlaa medium for 4 h. Subsequently, the reconstructed oocytes were incubated for 2 days and cleaved embryos were further cultured on cumulus-cell monolayer drop in CRlaa medium for 6 days. Survival rates of bovine vitrified-thawed eMII oocytes in group II (activation after vitrification and thawing) and III (activation before vitrification) were 81.0% and 84.9%, respectively. Fusion rates of cytoplasts and oocytes in group II and III were 69.0% and 70.0%, respectively, and their results were not different with non-frozen NT group (control, 75.2%). Although their cleaved rates (53.4% and 58.4%) were not different, cytoplasmic fragment rate in group II (32.8%) was significantly higher than that in group III (15.6%)(P<0.05). Also, subsequent development rate into >morula in group II (8.6%) was low than that in group III(15.6%). However, in vitro development rate in group III was not different with that in control (24.8%). This result suggested that MVC method was appropriate freezing method for the bovine eMII oocytes and vitrified eMII oocytes after pre-activation could support in vitro embryonic development after SONT as equally well as fresh oocytes.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2004

This study was conducted to examine the effects of electric stimulation conditions on in vitro developmental ability of caprine embryos after somatic cell nuclear transfer. Recipient oocytes were surgically collected after superovulation by using CIDR and FSH, PMSG, hCG and estrous synchronization in Korean native goats. The caprine ear cells were cultured in vitro in serum-starvation condition (TCM-l99 + 0.5% FBS) for 3 to 5 days of cell confluence. The zona pellucida of in vivo and in vitro matured oocytes were partially drilled using laser system. Single somatic cell was individually transferred into the enucleated oocyte. The reconstructed oocytes were electrically fused with 0.3M mannitol. After the electofusion, embryos were activated by electric stimulation or Ionomycin + 6-DMAP. Nuclear transfer embryos were cultured in mSOF medium supplemented with 0.8% BSA 6∼7 days at 39 , 5% $CO_2$, 5% $O_2$, 90% $N_2$. The fusion rate of donor cells was 60.4% and 40.3 % in ear cell and fetal fibroblast, and cleavage rate were 40.6% and 48.2%, respectively. No significant difference was found in the fusion and cleavage rate in different donor cells. Nuclear transferred oocytes were fused by electric pulses of 1.30∼1.40, 2.30∼2.39 and 2.40∼2.46 ㎸/cm. There was no significant difference among different electric pulses in fusion rates (26.7, 34.8 and 43.8%). The cleavage rate was higher (p<0.05) in 1.30∼1.40 ㎸/cm (82.9%) than 2.30∼2.39 ㎸/cm (43.8%) and 2.40∼2.46 ㎸/cm. (51.8%). The fusion rates of recipient oocyte source were 1st (43.5% and 23.6%), 2nd (55.7％ and 39.2%) and 3rd (66.1% and 52.8%) in in vivo and in vitro oocytes. However, fusion ratee were significantly higher (p<0.05) in in vivo than in vitro oocyte. The cleavage rate of fused oocytes from in vivo and in vitro sources were 52.6% and 54.4%, respectively. No significant difference was found in the cleavage rate according to the recipient oocyte source. These results suggest that factors such as field pulse of electric stimulation and oocyte source could affect in vitro developmental ability of nuclear transplanted caprine oocytes.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.157-165
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• 2017

One of the reasons to causing blood coagulation in the tissue of xenografted organs was known to incompatibility of the blood coagulation and anti-coagulation regulatory system between TG pigs and primates. Thus, overexpression of human CD73 (hCD73) in the pig endothelial cells is considered as a method to reduce coagulopathy after pig-to-non-human-primate xenotransplantation. This study was performed to produce and breed transgenic pigs expressing hCD73 for the studies immune rejection responses and could provide a successful application of xenotransplantation. The transgenic cells were constructed an hCD73 expression vector under control porcine Icam2 promoter (pIcam2-hCD73) and established donor cell lines expressing hCD73. The numbers of transferred reconstructed embryos were $127{\pm}18.9$. The pregnancy and delivery rate of surrogates were 8/18 (44%) and 3/18 (16%). The total number of delivered cloned pigs were 10 (2 alive, 7 mummy, and 1 died after birth). Among them, three live hCD73-pigs were successfully delivered by Caesarean section, but one was dead after birth. The two hCD73 TG cloned pigs had normal reproductive ability. They mated with wild type (WT) MGH (Massachusetts General Hospital) female sows and produced totally 16 piglets. Among them, 5 piglets were identified as hCD73 TG pigs. In conclusion, we successfully generated the hCD73 transgenic cloned pigs and produced their litters by natural mating. It can be possible to use a mate for the production of multiple transgenic pigs such as ${\alpha}-1,3-galactosyltransferase$ knock-out /hCD46 for xenotransplantation.