• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.96-101
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• 2005

There were two trials involved in the experiment. Trial 1: the trial was conducted on two Taiwan Sugar Corporation (TSC) pig farms. One was located in the north of Taiwan and the other was located in the south. Both farms had wet pad and forced ventilation (WPFV) and conventional open design (COD) boar and sow houses. There were 12 Duroc boars, age ranging from 12-24 months. Half of them (6 boars) were raised in a WPFV pig house, and the other half were kept in a COD house. Semen was collected at 5-day intervals from May $1^{st}$ to the end of October. Sixteen sows (2-8 parity) were served by artificial insemination each week from the beginning of May to the end of Oct. These sows were checked for heat from 18 days to 25 days after insemination. Trial 2: there were four MPFV boar houses involved in the test. Two houses were located in the north of Taiwan, and the other two houses were located in the south. The test was conducted from January 2000 to December 2001. The total number of serviced sows by MPFV-housed boars was 35,105 head and for COD-housed boars 103,065 head. The results showed that the total semen volume, density of sperm, total sperm per ejaculate, sperm motility and morphological abnormality were significantly better (p<0.01) for boar raised in WPFV house than for COD houses. Average sperm motility in June and July was lower than for the other months. Morphological abnormality was higher during May, June and July. Although the results did not reach a significant level, the average value showed that the total volume of boar semen was higher in the north than for the south. The total semen volume production of boar raised in WPFV was higher than for boars raised in COD house, reaching a significant level only in summer. Boars kept in WPFV house had higher total sperm number than boars kept in COD house, reaching a significant level in spring (p<0.05), summer (p<0.01), and fall (p<0.05) but not in winter (p>0.05). Boars raised in WPFV house had significantly higher sperm motility than boars in COD house during spring (p<0.001), summer (p<0.001), fall (p<0.01) and winter (p<0.05). The average farrowing rate and piglets born alive were higher for boars in WPFV house than for boars in COD house, but neither reached a significant level (p>0.05). The present experiment shows that WPFV house can improve the reproduction performance of boars.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.303-310
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• 2002

우리나라 동해안에 가장 많이 서식하는 조개류인 대복의 정소구조와 정자형성과정을 광학현미경과 투과전자현미경으로 조사한 결과는 다음과 같다. 대복의 정소는 소성결합조직으로 구성된 다수의 정자형성 소낭을 가진다. 동일한 정자형성 소낭 내에서는 여러 단계의 생식세포들이 관찰되었다. 정원세포들은 정자형성 소낭벽에 부착되어 있으며, 커다란 핵과 뚜렷한 인을 가진다. 정모세포에서는 연접사복합체와 골기체의 발달을 확인할 수 있었다. 정세포의 핵은 전자밀도가 높은 과립상의 염색질로 구성되며, 정자변태과정 동안에 핵의 응축 및 첨체와 편모의 형성을 관찰할 수 있었다. 정소 내에서 완숙 정자들은 다발을 형성하고 있으며, 두부, 중편, 미부로 구성되어 있었다. 두부의 길이는 약 $8.5{\mu}m$로, 첨체부와 핵 부위로 구분된다. 첨체는 길이 약 $1.1{\mu}m$의 총알형태였다. 두부와 첨체 사이에서는 미세섬유로 구성된 첨체기둥이 확인되었다. 중편에는 4개의 미토콘드리아를 가지며, 꼬리의 횡단면은 "9+2"의 구조를 나타냈다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.147-151
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• 2019

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate DNA fragmentation status in human spermatozoa according to specific tail swelling patterns determined via hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST). Methods: Frozen semen samples from 21 healthy donors were thawed and prepared by the swim-up technique for use in intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The semen samples were treated for 5 minutes as part of the HOST procedure and then underwent the sperm chromatin dispersion test using a Halosperm kit. DNA fragmentation status (large halo, medium halo, small halo, no halo, or degraded) and the specific tail swelling pattern ("a"-"g") were assessed at the level of a single spermatozoon. A total of 42,000 spermatozoa were analyzed, and the percentage of spermatozoa without DNA fragmentation (as evidenced by a large or medium halo) was assessed according to the specific tail swelling patterns observed. Results: The HOST examinations showed that > 93% of spermatozoa across all types displayed no DNA fragmentation. The percentage of spermatozoa without DNA fragmentation was 100% in type "d", 98.67% in type "g", and 98.17% in type "f" spermatozoa. Conclusion: We found that the type "d" spermatozoa displayed no DNA fragmentation, but the other types of spermatozoa also displayed very low rates of DNA fragmentation. This result may be associated with the processing of the spermatozoa by density gradient centrifugation and the swim-up technique.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.29-34
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• 2008

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of dietary fish oil supplementation on the semen characteristics of the Markhoz buck. Sixteen bucks were randomly allocated into 4 groups and received four different diets: unsupplemented control diet, supplemented with fish oil at 2.50% dry matter (DM), supplemented with fish oil (2.50% DM) and vitamin E (0.30 g/kg DM), and supplemented with vitamin E (0.30 g/kg DM). All experimental diets were formulated according to AFRC (1998). Semen was collected at 14 d intervals from June 17, 2006 to September 2, 2006. Semen characteristics were evaluated. Significant effects (p<0.05) of the week (sampling time) were observed for all parameters except semen volume. Also a significant effect (p<0.05) of dietary treatment was observed for all parameters except for percent sperm with normal morphologies and semen volume. Fish oil supplementation with excess vitamin E had a significant effect (p<0.05) on total number and sperm density, motility and progressive motility, percentage viability and dead sperm. The interaction between fish oil feeding and sampling time was significant (p<0.05) for all of the parameters. The bucks that received fish oil in association with vitamin E, effect fish oil showed the greatest improvement in semen characteristics compared with the other groups (p<0.05). This study showed that fish oil supplementation with vitamin E may have a beneficial effect on the semen quality and fertility of Markhoz bucks.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.144-152
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• 2012

Objective: Concerns are growing about the decrease in male reproductive health. Caffeine is one of the popular nutrients that has been implicated as a risk factor for infertility. In the present study, we examined whether in utero and lactational exposure to caffeine affects the reproductive function of the offspring of rats. Methods: Pregnant rats received caffeine via drinking water during gestation (26 and 45 mg/kg) and lactation (25 and 35 mg/kg). Body and reproductive organ weight, seminiferous tubule diameter, germinal epithelium height, sperm parameters, fertility rate, number of implantations, and testosterone level of the offspring were assessed from birth to adulthood. Results: Significant dose-related decreases were observed in the body and reproductive organ weight, seminiferous tubule diameter, and germinal epithelium height of the offspring. Sperm density had declined significantly in offspring of the low-dose and high-dose groups, by 8.81% and 19.97%, respectively, by postnatal day 150. The number of viable fetuses had decreased significantly in females mated with male offspring of the high-dose group at postnatal days 60, 90, 120, and 150. There were also significant reductions in testosterone levels of high-dose group offspring from birth to postnatal day 150. Conclusion: It is concluded that maternal caffeine consumption impairs gonadal development and has long-term adverse effects on the reproductive efficiency of male offspring rats.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.97-104
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• 2007

본 연구는 광학현미경과 전자현미경을 이용하여 소라, Batillus cornutus의 정자형성과정과 정자의 미세구조를 관찰하였다. 소라는 2003년 5월에 전라남도 완도군 연안에서 잠수하여 채집하였다. 실험개체의 크기는 각고 $60.0{\sim}69.9\;mm$였다. 소라의 정소는 다수의 정자형성소낭으로 구성되며, 이들 소낭 내에는 다양한 발달단계를 가지는 생식세포들이 존재하였다. 태사기의 제 1정모세포에서는 연접사복합체가 관찰되었다. 초기의 정세포에서는 골지체의 출현, 핵질 전자밀도의 증가 및 관상의 미토콘드리아가 확인되었다. 초기 정세포에서 관찰되는 아첨체과립은 전자밀도가 높은 작은 이형과립들로 구성되어 있었다. 정자변태과정의 중기부터는 핵의 후방에서 중심립이 확인되며, 이들 중심립을 중심으로 잘 발달되어진 미토콘드리아들이 위치하고 있었다. 이 시기에 아첨체과립은 응축되며, 얇은 막을 가진 첨체를 형성한다. 후기 정자변태과정 동안에 첨체는 길게 신장되어 원뿔모양으로 변화한다. 정자는 두부, 중편, 미부로 구성된다. 정자의 두부는 원형의 핵과 원뿔모양의 첨체로 구성되며, 미세섬유로 구성된 첨체기둥이 핵과 첨체 사이에 존재하고 있었다. 중편에는 5개의 미토콘드리아가 존재하고 있었다. 정자의 꼬리는 중심립에서 유래된 미세소관의 전형적인 "9+2" 구조를 하고 있었다.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.103-111
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• 1993

These experiments were undertaken to establish the optimal culture systems for in vitro maturation, fertilization and subsequently embryonic development of porcine immature follicular oocytes isolated from the ovary of slaughtered pigs. 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) for 42hrs. Ejaculated and liquid storaged boar spermatozoa capacitated with different sperm capacitation methods and media were prepared forfertilizaing of matured follicular oocytes in vitro. Fertilization was performed by adding 5~10${mu}ell$ of 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 culture media. The fertilization rates of in vitro matured follicular oocytes cultured in B. O., TCM-HEPES, m-KRB, and TALP-II media were 61.3%, 83.0%, 88.9% and 89.2%, respectively. In addition, the polyspermy rates were 60.7%, 66.5%, 53.8%, and 43.9%, respectively. These data indicated that the highest of fertilization and the lowest of polyspermy rate was shown in TALP-II medium. Spermatozoa capacitated by caffeine, heparin, and percoll density gradient treatment in the 4 different media, the fertilization rates were 33.0~57.2%, 39.9~90.2%, and 52.6~92.8%, respectively, showing the lowest rate in caffeine treatment. The development rate of follicular oocytes, fertilized with the spermatozoa capacitated by caffeine, heparin, and percoll gradient in the TALP-II medium, upto 2 to 4-cell stages were 32.6%, 74.5% and 70.9%, respectively. Finally, fertilization rates of follicular oocytes cultured with follicular fluid containing medium from 10 to 100% were 61.2~94.1% and the rates (90~94%) with 10~20% follicular fluids were significantly higher than those (85.3%) of cultured in the media without follicular fluid. In addition, the rates of pronucleus formation were also higher in follicular fluid treated group (73.1~83.0%) than those (64.7%) of oocytes cultured without follicular fluid. The highest fertilization and pronucleus formation rates was found in oocytes cultured with 10% follicular fluid. These results suggest that the addition of heparin or percoll density gradient method is better capacitation method. Furthermore, the addition of porcine follicular fluid to the fertilization medium may improve the fertilization rates and formation of pronucleus.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.31-58
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• 1985

The morphological study on different types of cells of reproductive organ including spermatogenesis in the adult planaria was performed to observe their cytochemical and ultrastructural characteristics. 1. Spermatogenesis The circular luminated material appears immediately inside the nuclear envelope of early spermatid and is found also in the nucleus of sperm, but typical acrosomal structures cannot be observed. Approximately ten of small-sized mitochondria occur around the nucleus in the transitional phase from primary spermatocyte to secondary spermatocyte, but in sperm a long mitochondrion is closely associated with nucleus, parellel to long axis of it. The sperm has a relatively long head connected with two tails via hollow neck. 2. Reproductive organ The penis bulb and the bursa stalk were observed. (1) Penis bulb The cells constituted penis bulb are classified into six types on the basis of ultrastructure of the cells and cytochemistry of the cytoplasmic granules. 1) A-type cells: These cells exhibiting low electron density are mainly occupied by large nucleus. These cells possess two different types of granules: highly electron-dense round granules with an average size of $0.9{\mu}m$, and electron-dense granules exhibit PAS-positive reaction. 2) B-type cells contain PAS-positive granules with the size of about $0.4{\mu}m$. They are rich in free ribosomes and mitochondria. 3) C-type cells are found to be dark cells due to high electron-density. These cells are largely occupied by large nucleus. 4) D-type cells: These cells are seen as light cells which have poorly developed cell organelles. 5) E-type tells: These cells contain a large number of glycogen granules which occupy most of cell. 6) F-type cells: These arc parietal epidermal cells surrounding the genital antrum. These cells are characterized by their finger-like shapes and the presence of a number of electron-dense, irregularly-shaped structures inside cells. The relatively large electron-lucent granules can be also found. The F-type cells possess numerous microvilli on their free surfaces. (2) Bursa stalk The cells constituted bursa stalk are classified into 3 types on the basis of cell shapes and presences of electron-dense or electron-lucent granules. 7) G-type cells with a long cytoplasmic process. They have large nuclei and poorly developed cell organelles. 8) H-type cells: These cells are characterized by the presence of a long cytoplasmic process and relatively highly electron-dense cytoplasmic profile. They have poorly developed cell organelles. 9) I-type cells contain large electron-lucent granules which exhibit negative reactions with three kinds of cytochemical staining methods used in this experiment. The fine electron-dense structures can be found inside these granules.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.185-191
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• 2010

Plasminogen activators (PAs) are serine protease that cleave plasminogen to form the active protease plasmin and may participate in mammalian fertilization. Although correlations have been reported between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and sperm function, the relationship between PA activity and ROS is unknown. We determined the effects of ROS on sperm function and PA activities in boar spermatozoa preincubated under the X-XO system. When spermatozoa were treated with the X+XO group, a significant increase (p<0.05) was observed in the percentage of acrosome reacted spermatozoa compared with that of the control group. However, when antioxidants were added to the medium with X+XO, the rate of acrosome reaction tended to decrease. Also, a significantly lower percentage of acrosome reacted spermatozoa was observed in the X+XO+catalase group at 6 hr of incubation compared with that of X+XO group. The density of malondialdehyde (MDA) was higher in the X+XO group than in different treatment groups. In another experiment, incubation of spermatozoa in medium with X+XO was associated with a significant (p<0.05) increase in activity of tPA-PAI and tPA compared with the control group. Antioxidants decreased the increased activity of tPA-PAI and tPA by preincubation in the X-XO system. Also, a significantly lower (p<0.05) activities of tPA-PAI and tPA were observed in the X+XO+catalase group compared with the X+XO group. No significant differences, however, were observed in the activity of uPA. These results suggest that the increase of acrosome reaction by the X-XO system resulted in increase of PAs activity in the sperm incubation medium.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.259-267
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• 2001

본 연구는 저정자증 또는 불임축의 수태율 증진과 불임해결에 적용할 목적으로, 일차적으로 소 정자의 PVP, HA의 농도, 신선 및 동결정자, 정자의 농도, 활력, 정자의 수정능획득법 및 난자의 투명대 부착과 미부착별로 현미조작에 의해 난자의 세포질내 단일정자의 주입했을 때 수정율 및 체외발생율을 조사하였다. 1. 소 난자의 ICSI시 PVP 농도를 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.05%별로 처리한 정자를 micropipette내에 흡입하여 세포질내 주입하였을 때 수정율과 분할율은 각각 72.7∼90.9% 및 38.5∼54.5%로서 0.02%농도에서 비교적 높은 수정율과 분할율을 나타냈다. 2. 소 난자의 ICSI시 HA농도를 0.01, 0.02%, 0.02%의 PVP + HA별로 micropipette내에 흡입하여 세포질내 주입하였을 때 수정율과 분할율은 각각 72.7%와 81.8% 및 45.5%와 54.5% 및 83.3%와 37.5%였다. 3. 소 난자에 신선 및 동결정자를 이용하여 ICSI법으로 수정시 수정율은 각각 93.3%, 86.1%였으며, 분할율은 60.0%, 46.7%로서 신선정자를 이용하였을 때가 동결정자를 이용했을 때보다 높은 수정율과 분할율을 나타냈다. 4. Heparin, BFF 및 His법으로 수정능획득 처리한 정자로 IVF 및 ICSI시 수정율은 각각 61.9%, 52.6%, 45.0% 및 85.7%, 78.9%, 65.0%였으며, 분할율은 각각 23.8%, 15.8%, 10.0% 및 61.9%, 52.6%, 50.0%로서, 수정능획득 처리에 있어서 heparin법이 다른 수정능획득 처리법에 높은 수정율과 분할율을 나타났다. 5. 투명대의 부착과 미부착별 난자로 IVF 및 ICSI 법으로 수정시 수정율은 각각 63.2%, 47.8%와 84.2%, 78.3%였으며 분할율은 각각 15.8%, 8.7%와 57.9%, 34.8%였다. 6. 소 체외성숙 난자에 IVF법과 ICSI법으로 수정시켰을 때 수정율은 각각 63.3%, 64.6%와 88.2∼90.0%였으며, 분할율은 각각 26.7%, 29.2%와 52.9%, 67.5%로서 ICSI법으로 수정시켰을 때 수정율과 분할율이 크게 향상되었다.