• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제23권8호
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• pp.1118-1126
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• 2010

Male reproduction is influenced by a number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including environmental endocrine disruptors. Testosterone is a well recognized intrinsic regulator for development and function of the male reproductive tract, and thus male fertility. The testis and semen of many mammalians contain an unusually high concentration of estrogen. Testosterone is converted into estrogen by the enzymatic action of cytochrome P450 aromatase complex (Cyp19a1). Of the male reproductive tract, the efferent ductules (EDs) possess exceptionally elevated levels of estrogen receptors (ERs), ER${\alpha}$ and ER${\beta}$, indicating that estrogen, in addition to testosterone, would have a functional role in regulation of male reproduction. First, this review has focused on description and summary of what is currently known for functions of estrogen in the EDs. The biosynthetic pathway of estrogen occurring in the testis is briefly covered, following by detailed explanation of the morphology and physiology of EDs. In the next section, the sources and targets of estrogen in the male reproductive tract are highlighted, and possible functional roles of estrogen in the EDs are justified from the aspect of physiology, molecular biology, and morphology in adult animal models. Also, this section covers the importance of estrogen and ERs in maintaining normal function and morphology of the EDs during postnatal development. In the last part of this review, the effects of extrinsic factors, especially environmental endocrine-disruptors, on the EDs is summarized. The intent of this review is to emphasize the importance of estrogen for regulation of physiological function of the EDs, and thus male fertility.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.584-590
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• 2023

Objective: This research aimed to explore the changes in the observed abdominal sagging index (ASI) and reproductive performance of Roman male and female geese during the breeding period. Methods: The 339 six-month-old breeding geese (109 male; 230 female) were used in this study, in which five male and five female geese were slaughtered on a monthly basis to record the ASI. Results: The short diameter of the testes of the male goose when the female goose lays eggs and in the second, third, and fourth months was significantly wider than in the fifth months (19.0, 20.8, 21.4, and 19.6 vs 12.7 and 14.0 mm/bird; p = 0.0105). On the other hand, the testicular weight of the male goose in the second and third months after the female goose lays eggs was significantly higher than that in the second and fifth months after laying (0.33% and 0.37% vs 0.11% and 0.19%; p = 0.0212). During the exploring period, the length and weight of the fallopian tube, the weight of the ovary, the number of follicles in 2 to 3 cm, the number of follicles in 3 to 4 cm, the fallopian tube weight in the carcass weight percentage, and the ovary weight in the carcass weight percentage all demonstrated a significant curve response. Further, female ASI was positively correlated with reproductive tract length (r = 0.815; p<0.05) and egg production per female (r = 0.790; p<0.05). Conclusion: The ASI classification method is more objective and easy to distinguish. This scoring method has a high correlation with the number of eggs laid by each goose and the length of the reproductive tract, inferring that the goose observation could take advantage of ASI during egg-laying and can predict the reproductive system development during the laying period and determine when the breeding goose begins to lay eggs.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.14-28
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• 1991

The present study was designed in order to clarify ultrastructural characteristies of the spermatogenetic process and to examine survival state of the spermatozoa introduced into the female reproductive tract after autumnal coitus in the Korean greater horseshoe bats(Rhinolophus ferrumeguinum korai). The general morphological characteristics of spermatogenesis were principally similar to those of the other mammalian species; acrosomal formation, flagellar formation, middle piece formation and concentration of the spermatozoan nucleus. The spermatozoa introduced into the vagina were found to be dead forming a vaginal plug, the opaque central core of which consisted of trapped dead spermatozoa. Some spermatozoa introduced into the uterus were observed to be phagocytized by the polymorphonuclear leucocytes infiltrated into the uterine glandular lumen. The oviductal epithelium, consisted of ciliated and secretory cells; the luminal surface of secretory cells were covered by a number of microvilli with well developed glycocalyx, suggesting a close relationship to nutrient (e.g. glycogen) supply for the spermatozoa during hibernation.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.181-188
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• 1987

This stduy was carried out to investigate the effects of Isoimmunization by sperm and seminal plasma on density of immunoglobulins in reproductive tract fluids and serum of immunized rabbits. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. Antibody titers against sperm and seminal plasma antigen ranged from 8 to 64 to 512, respectively. 2. All immunoglobulins; IgG, IgA and IgM were detected with Indirect ELISA method in the uterine and oviductal fluids as well as the sera of immune rabbits. 3. Concentrations of IgGs in the uterine and oviductal fluids of rabbits immunized with sperm and seminal plasma were higher than those of the control rabbits, but not showed any differences in sera. 4. Amount of IgA in the sera and oviductal fluids of control animals was more than that of the immune animals, while that of IgA in the uterine fluids of control and seminal plasma-immunized animals was higher as compared to sperm immune animals. 5. Average concentration of IgM in the uterine fluids of control and seminal plasma-immunized rabbits was higher than that of sperm-immunized ones. In the oviductal fluids, average concentrations of IgM of immune rabbits was higher than that of immune rabbits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제24권9호
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• pp.1199-1203
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to examine the binding potential of sperm to the epithelium of the sperm storage tubules (SST) in vitro and in vivo to assess the functional maturation of fowl sperm. Sperm from the testis, epididymis, as well as the proximal, middle and distal vas deferens were incubated in vitro with either the uterovaginal junction (UVJ)- or infundibular tissue containing SST at $39^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. Aliquots of sperm were also artificially inseminated into the uteri of hens, and the UVJ and infundibulum were collected 24 h post artificial insemination (AI). After incubation and AI, tissues were washed to remove loosely adhered sperm and subjected to fluorescence staining with 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, dihydrochloride (DAPI) for counting the number of bound sperm per 0.25 mm2 of surface area. Sperm from the testis, epididymis, and the three segments of the vas deferens exhibited their differential (p<0.05) binding capacity, which increased gradually from the testicular to distal vas deferens sperm under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Existing similar trend, sperm, regardless of their source had a lesser affinity to bind to the epithelium of the infundibular SST than to the UVJ-SST. These experimental results suggested that fowl sperm may undergo gradual changes in the process of functional maturation, whereby they gain the ability to bind to the epithelium of the SST during their passage through the male reproductive tract (MRT).

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.19-23
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• 1983

Present studies were conducted to investigate the developmental stage and the location of embryos in the reproductive tract at various times after ovulation, the morphologically normal after thawing of embryos preserved in liquid nitrogen, and the survival after transferring frozen-thawed embryos. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Embryo stage and location in the reproductive tract after hCG administration. For the investigation of embryo stage and location in the reproductive tract after ovulation, rabbits were laparotomized at 24, 40, 48, 72 and 120 hrs post hCG injection, simultaneously with mating. the oviducts and uteri were flushed out with PBS medium containing 50% rabbit serum, respectively. 1) Most of embryos was remained in the oviduct within 48 hrs, with the lapse of time, embryos were started to move to uterus and shifted in uterus at 72 hrs after hCG injection. 2) The representatives of embryos stage collected at 24, 40, 48, 72 and 120 hrs were 1-cell(60.4%), 8-cell to early morula (52.3, 39.3%), late blastocyst (95.5%) stages, respectively. 2. Morphological normality and survival of the frozen-thawed embryos. For the evalution of the quality and viability on the frozen-thawed embryos, immediately after thawing, embryos were assessed by morphologically normal under a dissecting microscope, and a further test of frozen-thawed embryos was made by transferring the morphologically normal embryos to the uteri of recipient rabbit induced pseudopregnancy by the injection of hCG at the time of hCG injection in donor rabbits. 1) The propotions of embryos which a, pp.ared morphologically normal was higher when 8-cell (85.7%) and morula(90.5%) were used for freezing than when 4-cell (66.7%) and blastocyst (75.8%) were used. 2) Preganacies were observed at Day 15 after transfer of frozen-thawed 8-cell (7/13), morula (19/42) and blastocyst (3/19) but not after transfer of embryos at 4-cell stage.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.63-69
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• 2005

본 연구는 개의 미성숙난자의 낮은 성숙율을 개선하기 위하여 자연발정온 개의 생식기관에 미성숙 난자를 이식하여 체내 배양 난자를 회수하여 회수된 난자의 핵 성숙율을 조사한 결과는 다음과 같다. 1. 미성숙난자를 24, 48 및 72시간 동안 체외성숙을 유도하였을 때 성숙시간에 따른 체외성숙율에는 유의적 차이는 인정되지 않았다. 2. 체내 배양 기간에 따른 난자의 회수율은 배양기간이 길어질수록 유의적으로 낮은 회수율을 보였으며, 배양기간이 증가할수록 난자의 생존율은 유의적으로 (P<0.05) 저하되었고 사멸된 난자의 비율도 또한 증가하였다. 3. 회수된 난자는 4, 5, 6일간의 체내 배양기간에 관계없이 대부분 GV상태로 (20/34; 6/15; 4/7)존재하였으며, 성숙된 난자는 체내 배양 4일째 회수된 난자에서 $5.8\%(2/34)$의 난자가 M II까지 발달한 것으로 조사되어 개의 미성숙난자의 체내 배양은 개 난자의 핵성숙을 개선하지 못하였다. 이상의 결과에서와 같이 개의 미성숙난자의 체내 배양은 M II 단계까지의 발달에 기여하지 못한 것으로 판단되며, 이는 개 미성숙난자의 핵발달은 난포에서의 자극과 활성화가 요구되는 것으로 판단된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.163-170
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• 1995

Growth factors (GFs) produced by the embryo or by the maternal reproductive tract have been reported to regulate the embryonic development and differentiation. Among GFs, EGF as a mitogen plays a role in mitosis and functional differentiation of trophectoderm cells in mouse. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of EGF on development of mouse embryos and to localize EGF in the mouse oocytes and embryos, which has been reported to be detected in the reproductive tract in mammals. To investigate the effect of EGF on the development of the embryo, mouse 2-cell embryos were cultured to blastocysts stage in Ham's F10 medium, treated with EGF(10-50 ng/ml) for 72 hrs. Immunocytochemistry was performed from oocyte to blastocyst stage with anti-EGF and anti-Mouse IgG, in order to determine the stage which EGF would be expressed in mouse. Exogenous EGF (more than 10 ng/ml) in the culture medium improved the developmental and hatching rates in the mouse embryos. As a result of immunocytochemistry, the embryonic EGF was expressed after the late 4-cell stage. EGF is thought to enhance preimplantation embryonic development and hatching. Exogenous EGF in the culture medium is thought to activate EGF receptor in the late 4-cell embryos and to enhance blastulation and hatching in mouse embryos. It is concluded that EGF enhances the developmental and hatching rates in the mouse embryos.

• 한국응용곤충학회지
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.123-129
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• 2007

뒤영벌 인공수정기를 본 연구에서 처음으로 개발하였다. 개발된 뒤영벌 인공수정기는 자리잡기용관, 이송용관, 고정관, 머리받침대, 생식기 탐침기 등으로 구성되어 있으며, 여왕벌의 인공수정에 따른 스트레스 및 생식기의 손상을 최소화하도록 고안되었다. 특히 인공수정기의 조정핸들은 지렛대 원리를 이용하여 미세하고, 정확하고, 신속하게 조작할 수 있다. 본 인공수정기를 이용하여 인공수정 시 수정 성공률은 90% 이상이었다. 따라서 이 인공수정기는 우량형질의 뒤영벌 육종 및 보존에 효율적으로 이용되어질 수 있을 것이다.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.35-40
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• 2014

Beta-catenin (CTNNB1, catenin (cadherin-associated protein), beta 1) is involved in various biological processes, including embryogenesis, tumorigenesis, angiogenesis and progression of metastasis. CTNNB1, as a multifunctional and oncogenic protein, has important roles in adhesion between Sertoli cells through an N-cadherin-dependent manner and in various cancer types through its over-activation. In addition, CTNNB1 can interact with estrogen/estrogen receptor alpha complex, which regulates the transcription of WNT (wingless-type MMTV integration site family)/CTNNB1 target genes. Recently, we investigated the functional roles and expression pattern of CTNNB1 during the morphological changes of embryonic gonads of chickens and the estrogen-dependent regulation of CTNNB1 in oviduct development and potential functions as a biomarker of CTNNB1 in human epithelial ovarian cancer using the chicken as a biological research model. Therefore, in this review, we provide a new insight of potential role of CTNNB1 in the development of the female reproductive tract during early embryogenesis and ovarian carcinogenesis of laying hen models.