• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2018

Objective: Recapitulation of the spermatogenesis process in vitro is a tool for studying the biology of germ cells, and may lead to promising therapeutic strategies in the future. In this study, we attempted to transdifferentiate Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) into male germ cells using all-trans retinoic acid and Sertoli cell-conditioned medium. Methods: Human WJ-MSCs were propagated by the explant culture method, and cells at the second passage were induced with differentiation medium containing all-trans retinoic acid for 2 weeks. Putative germ cells were cultured with Sertoli cell-conditioned medium at $36^{\circ}C$ for 3 more weeks. Results: The gene expression profile was consistent with the stage-specific development of germ cells. The expression of Oct4 and Plzf (early germ cell markers) was diminished, while Stra8 (a premeiotic marker), Scp3 (a meiotic marker), and Acr and Prm1 (postmeiotic markers) were upregulated during the induction period. In morphological studies, approximately 5% of the cells were secondary spermatocytes that had completed two stages of acrosome formation (the Golgi phase and the cap phase). A few spermatid-like cells that had undergone the initial stage of tail formation were also noted. Conclusion: Human WJ-MSCs can be transdifferentiated into more advanced stages of germ cells by a simple two-step induction protocol using retinoic acid and Sertoli cell-conditioned medium.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.347-354
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• 2006

Spermiogenesis in the Zacco koreanus is characterized by lateral development of flagellum, shallow nuclear fossa formation and with no nuclear rotation. These spermatozoa exhibit a spherical head containing a nucleus with the chromatin highly condensed and no acrosome. The midpiece is a small and a short cytoplasmic canal. Mitochondria are separated from the initial segement of the axoneme by cytoplasmic canal. The flagellum contains the classic axoneme structure (9+2) and has a vesicle in the initial region; it dose not have axonemal fins. The presence of a vesicle in the initial region of flagella, a structure common in many Cypriniformes spermatozoa.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.332-337
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• 1994

Using germinal and somatic cell mutation assaying systems of Drosophila melanogaster, effects of Ginseng and Salvia miltiorrhiza extracts on the in vivo mutagenicity induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG) were investigated. For these purpose, the attached-X method and the mwh/flr spot test system which are an X-linked lethal mutation and a somatic chromosome mutation assaying system, respectively, were used. In the induction of X-linked lethal mutations during the spermatogenesis, MNNG showed more actions in the sperm and spermatid stages, in which Ginseng and Salvia miltiorrhiza extracts had remarkable inhibitory effects than other stages. Ginseng and Salvia miltiorrhiza extracts reduced the mutagenicity by MNNG in the mwh/flr system, which reveal that they can inhibit gene mutation, deletion and mitotic chromosomal recombination. These results seem to suggest that Ginseng and Salvia miltiorrhiza extracts may exert their inhibitory effects to in vivo mutagenic and/or carcinogenic properties of DNA-damaging agents.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.157-157
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• 1995

In order to analyze the sex-linked lethal mutagenic effects of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) in Drosophila melanogaster, the mutagenicities from the attached-X and Basc method have been detected. The indexes of relative lethal mutations at 2.0 and 4.0mM EMS treated group using the attached-X method were about 1.5 and 2.4 times than that of 1.0mM treated group, respectively. EMS had more pronounced effect in the sperm and spermatid stages in the induction of X-linked lethal mutations during the spermatogenesis. And, in the induction of X-linked recessive lethal mutations from the Basc method, the mutation frequency of 4.0mM EMS treated group as compared with 2.0mM was more than three fold. Two assay systems used in this study can support mutually according to experimental purposes, and the area of its application can be considerably wide.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.543-549
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• 1995

In order to analyze the sex-linked lethal mutagenic effects of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) in Drosophila melanogaster, the mutagenicities from the attached-X and Basc method have been detected. The indexes of relative lethal mutations at 2.0 and 4.0mM EMS treated group using the attached-X method were about 1.5 and 2.4 times than that of 1.0mM treated group, respectively. EMS had more pronounced effect in the sperm and spermatid stages in the induction of X-linked lethal mutations during the spermatogenesis. And, in the induction of X-linked recessive lethal mutations from the Basc method, the mutation frequency of 4.0mM EMS treated group as compared with 2.0mM was more than three fold. Two assay systems used in this study can support mutually according to experimental purposes, and the area of its application can be considerably wide.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.157-162
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• 2003

Ultrastructure of germ cell during gametogenesis of surf clam, Spisula sachalinensis were investigated by electron microscopic observations. Oogonia are oval in shape and 5-6 ${\mu}m$ in diameter. They contain a large nucleus and have several mitochondria in the cytoplasm. Vitellogenic oocytes grew attached by a stalk to the germinal epithelium in the ovarian sac and their cytoplasm contained many yolk granules, lipid granules and mitochondria. Mature oocytes measuring 50-60 ${\mu}m$ in diameter have a nucleus containing an electron dense nucleolus, and a lots of yolk granules, lipid granules, mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum and cortical granules were present in the cytoplasm. The surface of the plasma membrane in mature oocytes was formed of microvilli approximately 1.5 ${\mu}m$ long and enveloped in the vitelline layer. Spematogonia are oval in shape and about 5 ${\mu}m$ in diameter. Sprmatogonia develop into spermatocyte, spermatid and spermatozoon. The spermatozoon consisted of the head, midpiece and tail. The sperm head with diameter of about 1.5 ${\mu}m$ was ovoid, and contained the nucleus which consisted of acrosome. The four mitochondria encircled the centrosome in midpiece. The flagellum measuring about 40 ${\mu}m$ long had the classical 9+2 axoneme structure.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.143-149
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• 2007

This study describes spermatogenesis and sperm ultrastructure of the granular ark, Tegillarca granosa using light and electron microscopy. In the active spermatogenic season, the testis comprises many spermatogenic follicles that contain germ cells in different developmental stages. Primary spermatocytes in the pachytene stage are characterized by synaptonemal complexes. The early spermatids are characterized by the appearance of several Golgi bodies, increased karyoplasmic electron density, and tubular mitochondria. The mass of proacrosomal granules consists of numerous heterogeneous granules with high electron density that are about 20 nm in diameter. From the midstage of spermiogenesis, the well-developed mitochondria in the cytoplasm aggregate posterior to the nucleus and surround the proximal and distal centrioles. The proacrosomal granules condense and form a single acrosome with a thin envelope. During late spermiogenesis, the acrosome begins to elongate becoming conical. The sperm is approximately $35.0{\mu}m$ long and consists of a head, midpiece, and tail. The head comprises a round nucleus and a conical acrosome. A micro fibrous axial rod is observed between the nucleus and acrosome. The midpiece has a calyx-like structure with five mitochondria, and the tail, which has the typical "9+2" microtubular system, originates from the distal centriole.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.45-52
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• 1999

포유동물의 수정은 정자가 난자내로 침입함으로써 시작되는데 이때 정자는 부계의 유전물질 이외에도 다양한 후성적 요소들 (epigenetic factors), 즉 난활성 인자, 중심체, 부계 유래의 mitochondria 및 부계 특이 삽입 유전자 등을 난자에 전달해 준다. 하지만 수정 및 초기 배발달동안 정자에 의해 전달된 후성적 요소들의 역할과 기능적 발현 및 억제 기전에 관해서는 명확히 알려져 있지 않다. 수정보조기법인 ICSI 및 ROSI의 개발은 남성불임치료에 혁신적인 기술로 자리잡고 있을 뿐만 아니라 포유동물의 수정과정을 이해 하는데 많은 도움을 주고 있다. 본 연구실에서는 최근 몇 년간 돼지난자에 정자, 다양한 정자 구성 요소들, 정낭세포, 및 이종의 정자 등을 미세주입하여 수정을 유도한 후 핵질 및 세포질의 변화과정과 배 발달과정을 살펴 봄으로써, 수정시 정자에 의해 전달되는 후성적 요소들의 기능과 발현 기작을 규명하고자 하였다. 이러한 연구의 결과들은 체외수정, ICSI, ROSI 등의 임상치료기술의 개선에 기초자료로 활용될 수 있으리라 생각한다.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 1998

To investigate the involvement of protein kinase C(PKC) isoenzyme in the testes which control spermatogenesis and hormone secretion, we examined cellular distribution of four types of PKC $\alpha$, ${\beta}I$, ${\delta}$ and ${\theta}$ in the horse testes using PKC antisera by western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. By the western blot analysis, PKC $\alpha$ and ${\beta}I$ were detected at 82KD, while PKC ${\delta}$ and ${\theta}$ were detected at 80KD in the testes of both juvenile and adult horses. In juvenile horse, PKC $\alpha$, ${\delta}$ and ${\theta}$ except ${\beta}I$ were not detected in the cells of the testes, whereas PKC ${\beta}I$ was immunoreacted with only in spermatocytes. In adult, PKC $\alpha$, ${\beta}I$, ${\delta}$ and ${\theta}$isoenzymes were localized in interstitial cells of the testes. In the seminiferous tubules, PKC ${\beta}I$ is localized in spermatocyte, spermatid and spermatozoa, while PKC ${\delta}$ is localized only in spermatids. We suggest that this is a first report to localize PKC in the testes of horse and PKC isoenzymes are upregulated in the cells of horse testes depending on ages. These findings also suggest that certain PKC isoenzyme plays an important role in the signal transduction of spermatogenic cells and interstitial cells in horse testes.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.225-230
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• 2020

This study reports the presence of mature and bi-sexual phase gonads in red spotted grouper, Epinephelus akaara after less than a year of cultivation in a commercial indoor tank and a net cage. In December 2018, juveniles were placed in an indoor tank and cultured for five months. In June 2019, the fish were transferred to a net cage and cultured until September. The rearing temperatures ranged from 19.86℃-24.65℃ in the indoor tank and 21.86℃-27.65℃ in the net cage. During the net cage culture period, specimens were randomly selected for histological gonad examination. The highest gonadosomatic index (GSI) value was measured in July (3.38±2.53), and dramatically decreased in August (0.44±0.21) and September (0.42±0.30). In July, some mature fish showed signs of vitellogenic stage oocyte development (vitellogenic and oil droplet stage oocytes), but immature fish were in an early developmental stage containing peri-nucleolus stage (PNS) oocytes. Bi-sexual phase gonads containing spermatocytes and spermatids were observed in the lumen and several PNS oocytes. By August and September, most specimens showed early-stage ovary development. However, mature testis (in August) and bi-sexual phase gonads (in September) were also observed. These results provide evidence for early puberty and hermaphroditism in the red spotted grouper.