• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.175-179
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of thawing temperature on the sperm viability and acrosomal morphology for semen storage of miniature pig by the 0.5ml straw method. In this present study, sperm viability (SYBR-14/PI staining), membrane integrity (Hypoosmotic Swelling Test), acrosome intactness, intensity and capacitation status (chlorotetracycline staining) in frozen miniature pig sperm were evaluated after thawing at 37, 50 and $70^{\circ}C$ for 5, 10 and 45 sec, respectively. Interestingly, the results indicated that sperm thawed at $70^{\circ}C$ for 5 sec significantly (p<0.05) increased sperm viability, but lower the percentage of AR (acrosome reacted spermatozoa) pattern compared to sperm thawed at $37^{\circ}C$ for 45 sec and $50^{\circ}C$ for 10 sec. In terms of thawing condition, high temperature for a short time using the 0.5ml straw was improved cryosurvival of miniature pig semen. Therefore, appropriate thawing method for cryopreservation of miniature pig is required for increasing post-thawing viability.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.181-190
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• 2001

This study was designed to investigate the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on DNA stability in human spermatozoa. To verify human spermatozoa were incubated with xanthine-xanthine oxidase (X 100$\mu$M-XO 50 mlU ~ 400 mIU), $H_2O_2$ (125 $\mu$M ~ 1 mM), sodium nitroprusside (SNP 0.1 $\mu$M ~ 100 $\mu$M) or lymphocyte. Otherwise, spermatozoa were incubated under low $O_2$ (5%) condition. Damage of sperm DNA was analyzed by single cell electrophoresis (Comet assay) and flow cytometry after acridine orange staining. In the presence of ROS, there was increase in DNA damage. The rate of DNA single strand breakage (9.0$\pm$1.0% ~ 46.0$\pm$4.6%) and DNA fragmentation (7.51$\pm$1.0% ~ 29.5$\pm$4.6%) were similar regardless of the kinds of ROS and exposure time. DNA damage in the lower $O_2$ condition (5%) was lower than ambient $O_2$ condition (20%). Taken together, it suggested that sperm DNA might be damaged by ROS. In the presence of ROS, increase in DNA damage and chromatin instability was obvious in spite of short exposure. Although present study reconfirmed that sperm incubation in the low concentration of ROS have the benefit m the induction of capacitation and Ah, the increase in DNA damage by ROS and possible genetic problem should be considered before the human trials.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.148-152
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• 1985

When goat spermatozoa were preincubated for 4-6 h and 6 h in the uteri isolated from hamster and rat, and for 6 h in the hamster uterus in situ, they developed the ability to penetrate zona-free hamster eggs in vitro. Zona-free hamster eggs were not penetrated after insemination with goat spermatozoa preincubated in the isolated hamster uterus 4 h before and 2 h after expected time of ovulation, respectively. Zona-free hamster eggs were not penetrated after insemination with goat spermatozoa preincubated for 4 h in the isolated hamster uterus, but 10 and 18% of eggs were penetrated by spermatozoa preincubated for 5 and 6 h in the isolated uterus.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.469-481
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• 1993

Gametic biotechnologies involve the procedures which are utilized for procuring reproductive success through the mimicry of in vivo events as in in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer etc. With the realization that the oviduct performs most of the procedures mimicked in vitro under normal in vivo situations, the need to master the oviduct therefore, becomes paramount. The oviduct being an exocrine gland (with its output of glycoproteins) and possibly an ecdocrine gland must be implicated in all the preimplantational procedures of reproduction, which include ovulation, oocyte maturation, sperm capacitation, gametic and embryonal nutrition, fertilization, and implantation. The evidences in the literature for the implication of the oviduct in these processes are examined. It is concluded that there is a need for the mastery of oviductual activity in order to maximize the successes of the procedures in vitro, and provide gametic manipulations which will have high success rates in implantation that is the ultimate after of in vitro fertilization for reproductive success.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.123-130
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• 1991

The present study was performed to investigate the effect of Ca ion concentration on sperm viability and acrosome reaction rate and to evaluate the effect of treatments using caffeine and Ca-ionophore A23187 on acrosome reaction rate in frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa. Viabilities of in vitro capacitated bull spermatozoa at 0, 2.25 and 4.5 mM Ca ion concenrations were 21.00, 26.00 and 22.59%, respectively and significantly higher in Ca ion 2.25mM added group than Ca ion free group (p<0.05) and acrosome reaction rates of in vitro capacitated bull spermatozoa were 17.09, 52.15 and 47.92%, respectively and significantly high in Ca ion added groups(p<0.05). Viabilities in vitro capacitation by caffeine and Ca-ionophore A23187 in control, caffeine treated group, Ca-ionophore A23187 treated group and caffeine+Ca-ionophore A23187 treated group were 37.91, 27.67, 22.33 and 25.59%, respectively and significantly higher in control than treated groups(p<0.05), there were no significant differences among the treated groups, and acrosome reaction rates were 10.33, 37.92, 48.09 and 57.17%, respectively and there were significant differences among the groups(p<0.05), especially higher in caffeine+Ca-ionophore A23187 treated group than others.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.754-758
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• 2001

Bovine oocytes with compact and complete cumulus cells were cultured for up to 24h in TCM199 buffered with 25mmol/l hepes and supplemented with 10% FBS (fetal bovine serum), 1mg/ml $17{\beta}$-estradiol, 20IU/ml hCG(human chorionic gonadotropin). All of the oocytes were divided into at 6 groups depending upon incubation times (control, 0 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, 16 hours, 18 hours). To all experimental media, $200{\mu}g/ml$ puromycin was added at different incubation times mentioned above. Following these culture times, in vitro insemination was conducted with frozen-thawed bovine spermatozoa in medium BO (Brackett and Oliphant medium for in vitro insemination) with $10{\mu}g/ml$ BSA(bovine serum albumin) and 10 mg/ml heparin added. After 22h culture, the oocytes were fixed with acetic alcohol solution and stained with orcein acetic solution to evaluate sperm nuclear progression. Addition of puromycin after 0, 6 and 12 h of culture resulted in near of oocyte maturation at the M1 stage. Contrariwise, puromycin addition after 12 h of culture led to restoration of nuclear progression to M2 stage. On the one hand, puromycin affected the synthesis of Cyclin B protein that may be involved in the oocyte maturation and sperm capacitation for in vitro fertilization. The present study suggests the participation of protein synthesis, cyclin B, in the oocyte development from M1 to M2 stages in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1996

The objective of this study was to determine effects of oviductal fluid on the sperm penetration and subsequent in vitro development of porcine oocytes. The addition of oviductal fluid to the fertilization medium decreased sperm pen etration and the mean number of spermatozoa in penetrated eggs. The number of spermatozoa firmly bound to zona pellucida was also decreased in the presence of oviductal fluid. Chlortetracy cline (CTC) fluorescence patterns were used to determine incidence of capacitation and acrosome reaction. The proportion of capacitated a and acrosome free spermatozoa increased when spermatozoa were exposed for 1.5 and 3 h to oviductal fluid. These results suggest that the factor(s) in secretion from the oviduct reduces polyspermic fertilization and the number of spermatozoa that will penetrate porcine oocytes. The reduction of polyspermic penetration by oviductal secretions may be due to a reduced number of spermatozoa in the fertilization me-dium into an intact acrosome.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.117-125
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• 2015

Iron is required for cell viability but is toxic in excess. While the iron-mediated malfunction of testicular cells is well appreciated, the underlying mechanism(s) of this effect and its relationship with fertility are poorly understood. Ferritin is a ubiquitous intracellular protein that controls iron storage, ferroxidase activity, immune response, and stress response in cells. Ferritin light chain protein (FTL) is the light subunit of the Ferritin. Previously, we had identified the FTL in bovine spermatozoa following capacitation. In present study, to investigate the role of Ferritin in sperm function, mice spermatozoa were incubated with multiple doses (1, 10 and $100{\mu}M$) of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an iron donor. SNP was increased Ferritin levels in a dose-dependent manner. The Ferritin was detected on the acrosome in spermatozoa by immunocytochemistry. Short-term exposure of spermatozoa to SNP increased tyrosine phosphorylation and the acrosome reaction (AR). Finally, SNP affected a significant decrease in the rate of fertilization as well as blastocyst formation during early embryonic development. On the basis of these results, we propose that the effects of Ferritin on the AR may reduce overall sperm function leads to poor fertility in males and compromised embryonic development.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.189-192
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• 2012

Male factor infertility or sub-fertility contributed half of all cases of infertility while the semen abnormality is the current topic of argument. Conventional analysis of semen showed poor correlation with fertility. Therefore, evaluation of current semen analysis method is necessary to improve standards of semen assessment. The goal of this study was to investigate that correlation between motion kinematic before and after capacitation and litter size in porcine. Sperm motility and kinematics were measure by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). The motility of spermatozoa was positively correlated with curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP), and mean amplitude of head lateral displacement (ALH) (p<0.05). Where as VCL positively correlated with VSL, VAP and ALH (p<0.01). Straight-line velocity (VSL) was positively correlated with VAP and ALH (p<0.01). VAP was significantly positively correlated with ALH (p<0.01). Also, we found significant positive correlation among variation of VSL, VAP and ALH (p<0.05). No motility and kinematic parameter are correlated with litter size. However, litter size was significantly correlated with breed (p<0.05). Our results suggested that analysis of sperm motility and kinematics using CASA is questionable for prediction of litter size. However, it has some practical importance to evaluate semen commercially.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 1993

To provide the optimal culture conditions for the developm,ent of in vit개 produced embryos, we have been investigated various culture media as well as co-cultrue systems using porcine cumulus cells or mouse fetal fibroblast cells. Porcine ovaries were brought to the laboratory from local slaughter house within 1 hour after slaughtering and cumulus oocytes complexes were recovered from antral follicles(3~5mm) with 23 gauge needle. To maturate follicular oocytes, cumulus oocytes complexes were washed three times with TCM-199 containing 25mM HEPES and incubated(39$^{\circ}C$, 5% CO2 in air) in various maturation media for 42 hrs. Ejaculated and liquid storaged boar spermatozoa capacitated with different sperm capacitation methods and media were rpepared for fertilizing of matured follicular oocytes in vitro. Fertilization was performed by adding 5~10${\mu}\ell$ fo capacitated spermatozoa containing 1~5$\times$105 sperm/ml to droplets. Eighteen to twenty-eight hours after sperm insemination, fertilized eggs were washed three times with culture media and transferred to the various culture media, to the culture media with a monolayer of somatic cells. The in vitro development rates of 1-cell embryos cultured with three times with culture media and transferred to the various culture media, to the culture media with a monolayer of somatic cells. The in vitro development rates of 1-cell embryos cultured with three different media, m-KRB, BECM and TCM-HEPES were 0~1.0%, showing extremely lower rates. Especially, most of embryos were observed to arrest the development beyond 4-cell stages. The rates of embryos developed to 2-, 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-cell and morula or blastocyst stage in co-culture with porcine cumulus cells and mouse fetal fibroblast cells were 61.1~67.0%, 59.0~58.0%, 42.5~43.1%, 28.4~30.2% and 20.4~21.0%, respectively. These development rates upto morula or blastocyst stages were significantly higher than those of the embryos cultured in the basic culture medium(P<0.01). These findings suggest that co-culture of in vitro fertilized eggs with porcine cumulus cells or mouse fetal fibroblast cells enhance the development of fertilized eggs to morula or blastocyst stage in vitro.