• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2012

Many mammals in temperate zones are affected by the distinctive changes of the four seasons in these zones. Their reproductive status is active in the summer climate and inactive during severe winter weather. The golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is seasonal breeding animal whose sexual activities are regulated by photoperoidism. The reproduction and metabolism are activated by long summer days (LD) and inhibited by short winter days (SD). After several months of SD, animals become refractory to this inhibitory photoperiod and spontaneously revert to LD-like physiology. The suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) house the primary circadian oscillator in mammals. Seasonal changes in the photic input to this structure control many annual physiological rhythms via SCN-regulated pineal melatonin secretion, which provides an internal endocrine signal representing photoperiod. The aim of this study was to assess the variation in the morphology of the testis in relation to the natural photoperiod in male golden hamsters. The hamsters were castrated at different weeks (2, 5, 8, and 15). The cell numbers of tubules with spermatogonia (SG), spermatocyte (SC), spermatids (ST), and spermatozoa (SZ) were recorded in each sample. The results showed that testicular regression of golden hamsters occurred in the SD-treated animals. The present investigation determines that the effects of the photoperiod on the reproduction of male golden hamsters. It was also found that the circadian period increases the rate of reproductive inhibition in animals exposed to inhibitory photoperiods.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.669-676
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• 2013

Lung fluke, Paragonimus heterotremus, is a flatworm causing pulmonary paragonimiasis in cats, dogs, and humans in Southeast Asia. We examined the ultrastructure of the testis of adult P. heterotremus with special attention to spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The full sequence of spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis, from the capsular basal lamina to the luminal surface, was demonstrated. The sequence comprises spermatogonia, spermatocytes with obvious nuclear synaptonemal complexes, spermatids, and eventual spermatozoa. Moreover, full steps of spermatid differentiation were shown which consisted of 1) early stage, 2) differentiation stage representing the flagella, intercentriolar body, basal body, striated rootlets, and electron dense nucleus of thread-like lamellar configuration, and 3) growing spermatid flagella. Detailed ultrastructure of 2 different types of spermatozoa was also shown in this study.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.295-308
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• 1992

In order to study on the Sertoli cell, we attempt have been made to measure the average number of each germ cells per Sertoli cell on the 12 stages of cycle in matured korean Jindo dog. The fine structure of Sertoli cell junctional specialization was studied with electron microscope. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The average number of various germ cells associated with Sertoli cell was 9.77 to 13. 80 through stages of cycle and the total average number was 11.62. 2. Sertoli-Sertoli cell junctional specialization was present in seminiferous epilthelium, and Sertoli-spermatid cell junctional specialization rose from stage 8 spermatid, persisted to step 13 spermatid and then disappeared. The structure of Sedoli-spermatid cell juncticnal specialization was not similar to that of Sertoli cxlls. 3. Just after spermiation, free-surface of Sertoli-spermatid cell junctional specialization was replaced by Sertoli cell cytoplasm with tubulobulbar complex at the neiglaboring region observed. 4. The Sertoli cell process was located within the cytoplasm of late stage spermatids. Some membranes of residual body and spermatid cytoplasm partly disappeared, resulting in opening of the cytoplasm of spermatid into that Sertoli cell. This fact suggested that spermatid cytoplasm was partly eliminated.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 1993

To investigate the cycle and relative frequences and the fine structure of seminiferous epithelia in mature Jindo dogs, histologic study was performed. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. Type A spermatogonia appeared approximately 1.6 times as many at stage II as compared to stage I while type In spermatogonia appeared small amount in stage III, IV and V. type B spermatogonia were found during the stage VI to VIII, though not detectable during stage I to V. The type B spermatogonia divided at stage VII to produce the preleptotene primary spermatocytes at stage VIII. The number of primary spermatocytes of the leptotene phase markedly increased during stage I to II, and the primary spermatocytes of the pachytene phase were shown the least in number at stage IV. The secondary spermatocytes could be seen only at stage IV. 2. The relative frequencies of each stage from stages I to VIII of the cycle of seminiferous epithelia were 31.6, 11.9, 10.0, 3.2, 8.2, 10.1, 11.7 and 13.2% respectively. 3. On electron microscopic observations, acrosomal vesicle of spermatids appeared larger though the bulk of germ cells were the morphologically same as those of the other animal species. Thread line structures light microscopically observed in the cytoplasm of Sertoli cell were the longitudinal orientation of mitochondria.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 1980

The germarium contains the apical complex consisting of a multinucleated syncytium. Apical complex has a nutritive role for the early spermatogonia. Trophocytes are irregularly shaped and are distributed throughout the space from spermatogonial cysts to sperm bundles, and they increase in size by endopolyploidization. As meiotic divisions are not complete until the final moult, spermatogenesis continues even in the adult. Chromosome number is 2n=24. Spermiogenesis is divided into seven stages in terms of chromatin concentration, cytoplasmic granules, and the nuclear size and shape. These stages could be grouped into the spherical, the elongating and the rodform spermatids in shape.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.226-234
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• 1993

Cobitis sinensis-longicorpus complex considered as hybrid origin between C. sinensis and C. longicorpus coccurred ommonly in the upper streams of the Nakdong River, Korea. Histological examinations of their gonad were accompanied with 272 individuals of C. sinensis-longicorpus complex collected. Most of fishes collected were females, however, only 6 individuals were found males. The ovarian tissues of females are completely fertile undergoing normal oogenensis. In the male gonads, testicular lobule structure with abnormal vacuolar tissues were observed. Spermatogonia and spermatocytes were also observed of their testis however spermatids or sperms were not shown in their developmental stages. From these facts, we infer that female population of C. sinensis-longicorpus complex may be unique reproductive hierarchy accomplishing their reproduction with participation of males of their closely related bisexual species.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 1996

The internal ultrastructural changes of germ cells and external morphology of spermatozoon during the spermatogenesis in the rockfish, Sebastes inermis were studied using transmission and scanning electron microscope. The testis is seminiferous tubule type in internal structure. Seminiferous tubule consist of many cyst which contain numerous germ cells in same developmental stage. Spermatogonium contained a large nucleus with single nucleolus in interphase. Primary spermatocyte identified by the presence of synaptonemal complex in nucleus and the contained a number of mitochondria, endoplasmic reticula and Golgi bodies in cytoplasm. The nucleoplasm of secondary spermatocyte was more concentrated than that of the previous phase. Spermatids were more condensed in nucleus and cytoplasm, and show the long-spherical shape. In the cytoplasm of spermatid mitochondria located to lower portion of the nucleus and Golgi bodies located to upper portion, but proacrosomal granule is not appeared. The spermatozoon consist of the head and tail. No acrosome could be found in the head. The cytoplasmic collar of posterior part in sperm head contained mitochondria which surrounded axial filament. The well developed axonemal lateral fins were identified in sperm flagellum, and the axial filament of the flagellum consist of nine pairs of peripheral microtubules and one pair of central microtubules.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.43-47
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• 2015

Sirtuin proteins are evolutionary conserved Sir2-related $NAD^+$-dependent deacetylases and regulate many of cellular processes such as metabolism, inflammation, transcription, and aging. Sirtuin contains activity of either ADP-ribosyltransferase or deacetyltranfease and their activity is dependent on the localization in cells. However, the expression pattern of Sirtuins has not been well studied. To examine the expression levels of Sirtuins, RT-PCR was performed using total RNAs from various tissues including liver, small intestine, heart, brain, kidney, lung, spleen, stomach, uterus, ovary, and testis. Sirtuins were highly expressed in most of tissues including the testis. Immunostaining assay showed that Sirt1 and Sirt6 were mainly located in the nucleus of germ cells, spermatocytes, and spermatids in the seminiferous tubules, whereas Sirt2 and Sirt5 were exclusively present in the cytoplasm of germ cells and spermatocytes. Our results indicate that Sirtuins may function as regulators of spermatogenesis and their activities might be dependent on their location in the seminiferous tubules.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.77-85
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• 2015

One of the key factors of early development is the specification of competence between the oocyte and the sperm, which occurs during gametogenesis. However, the starting point, growth, and maturation for acquiring competence during spermatogenesis and oogenesis in mammals are very different. Spermatogenesis includes spermiogenesis, but such a metamorphosis is not observed during oogenesis. Glycosylation, a ubiquitous modification, is a preliminary requisite for distribution of the structural and functional components of spermatids for metamorphosis. In addition, glycosylation using epididymal or female genital secretory glycans is an important process for the sperm maturation, the acquisition of the potential for fertilization, and the acceleration of early embryo development. However, nonemzymatic unexpected covalent bonding of a carbohydrate and malglycosylation can result in falling fertility rates as shown in the diabetic male. So far, glycosylation during spermatogenesis and the dynamics of the plasma membrane in the process of capacitation and fertilization have been evaluated, and a powerful role of glycosylation in spermatogenesis and early development is also suggested by structural bioinformatics, functional genomics, and functional proteomics. Further understanding of glycosylation is needed to provide a better understanding of fertilization and embryo development and for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools for infertility.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 1996

Hormonal induction of sex reversal was examined by using sex steroid hormones in serranid fish, Epinephelus septemfasciatus. Young fish were collected from the coastal area of Cheju Island, and reared for 2 years before fish were used for the experiments. Without any hormonal treatment, gonads of fish ($1,000\~2,800$ g in body weight) were occupied by oocytes of the perinucleolus stage and bundles of protogonial cells in the area of germinal epithelium. When the induction of sex reversal was attempted by daily oral administration of $17\alpha$-methyltestosterone (0.5 mg/kg fish) for 90 days, active spermatogenesis was induced, and spermatogonia and spermatocytes and spermatids were appeared in all gonads we examined. However, after daily, oral treatment of $17\beta$-estradiol (0.5 mg/kg fish) to. 50 days with the following injection of human chorionic gonadotrophin ($1,000\~1,500$ IU/kg fish) mature oocytes were not induced in fish gonad.