• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.788-792
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• 2013

A shortcoming of using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for structural analysis via electron diffraction is the relatively large error of the measurements as compared to X-ray diffraction. To reduce these errors, various internal standard methods from earlier studies have been widely used. We developed a new device to facilitate the application of internal standard methods in preparation of TEM grids used for nanopowder analysis. Through the application of a partial mask on the TEM grid, both the internal standards and the research materials can be loaded on the same grid. Through this process, we conducted a TEM analysis that compared synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanopowder to bone apatite from a bovine femur. We determined that the accuracy of the d-spacing measurements of the HAp and bone powders could be improved to better than 1% after statistical treatments of the experimental data. By applying a quarter mask, we loaded four different nanoparticles on a single TEM grid, with one section designated for the internal standard.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2004

This study evaluated the efficiency and compared with different materials of loading vessels for vitrification-plastic/glass, copper grid and nylon. The loading method, vitrification, cryop-reservation and warming method of the oocytes were examined. The loading samples prepared in manual or company-made and sterilized, loaded the COCs selected on each samples and cultured for maturation during 40 hours, and then exposed sequentially to ethylene glycol solution. Thawing method was reversely treated and exposed for warmed oocytes. After oocytes were thawed, fertilized and cultured in vitro for 3-4 hours, rates of development and morphological appearance were examined. The results were as summarized: ㆍOPS from company-made or hand-made of the hematocrit micropipettes, NLS from fishing line and EMG from company-made for EM were used for loading oocytes, respectively. ㆍThe efficiency of freezing method and loading convenience were orderly higher in OPS, NLS and EMG. The optimal capacity per vessel was orderly lowered in NLS, EMG and OPS, respectively. ㆍAfter oocytes were warmed, the recovery rate, morphology and rate of development were orderly higher in OPS, NLS and EMG, respectively. ㆍIn conclusion, OPS has the advantages of achieving a little more survival and preserving results than other two loading methods.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.84-84
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• 2003

많은 연구에서 돼지의 난포란 혹은 배아가 낮은 온도에 대해 민감한 것은 세포질 내에 함유된 지방구와 관련이 있다고 하였으며, 이런 세포질내의 지방구를 제거함으로 동결능력이 향상된다고 하였다. 이렇게 지방구가 제거된 돼지의 난포란과 배아를 효과적으로 동결보존하기 위해서는 새로운 개념의 동결보존 기술이 필요하다고 하겠다. 따라서, 본 연구는 미성숙 단계에서 지방이 제거된 돼지 난포란의 유리화 동결에 적합한 방법을 찾기 위하여 straw를 이용한 유리화 동결법과 electron microscopic grid(EM grid)를 사용한 유리화 동결법을 실시하여 효율적인 동결방법을 검토하였다.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2000

These studies were undertaken to evaluate morphological normality and development competence in vitro of hyman oocytes following vitrificatioin using ethylene glycol and electron microscopic grid. Human immature oocytes retrieved from natural and stimulated cycles was vitrified at 0 or 48 h and 0, 8 to 15 or 24 to 28 h after maturation culture, respectively. In oocytes retrieved from unstimulated cycle, no signifciant differences were found in morphological normality (56 to 63%) and fertilization (31 to 37%) rates between the times of vitrification. In stimulated patients, however, more oocytes were morphologically normal when vitrified at 24 to 28 h than when vitrified at 0 or 8 to 15 h after maturation culture. Regardlesss of the hormonal stimulation, high cleavage rates(83 to 100%) were obtained in all treatment groups but did not differ significantly. Twenty to 43% of cleaved oocytes developed to the blastocyst stage at 6 days after IVF. These results suggest that vitrified oocytes from unstimulated and stimulated cycles could develop to the blastocyst stage, regardless of the stages of vitrification.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2006

A new remote access system for a 1.3 MV high voltage electron microscope has been developed. Almost all essential functions for HVEM operation, huck as stage control, specimen tilting, TV camera selection and image recording, are successfully embedded into this prototype of the remote system. Particularly, this system permits perfect and precise operation of the goniometer and also controls the high resolution digital camera via simple Web browsers. Transmission of control signals and communication with the microscope is accomplished via the global ring network for advanced applications development (GLORIAD). This fact makes it possible to realize virtual laboratory to carry out practical national and international HVEM collaboration by using the present system

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 1998

This study was carried out to examine whether the developmental capacity of bovine immature oocytes frozen ultra-rapidly using electron microscope (EM) grids and EFS30 can be obtained. As freezing solution, we used EFS30 which consisted of 30% ethylene glycol, 0.5 M sucrose, 18% ficoll and 10% FBS added in D-PBS. As criterior of oocyte viability, the rates of maturation, fertilization and embryonic development were determined. The results obtained in this experiment were summarized as follows: When ultra-rapidly frozen immature oocytes were thawed, 43.2% of them were survived. The rates of maturation (84.1%) and normal 2 pronuclei formation (57.5%) of frozen immature oocytes were not significantly different when compared to those of control (92.5, 65.0%). In addition, the rates of $\geq2$-cell (65.0%) and blastocyst formation (30.8%) of freezing group were not significantly different when compared to those of control (73.7, 35.7%). These results demonstrate that developmental capacity of frozen-thawed bovine immature oocytes can be successfully obtained when survived from the ultra-rapid freezing method using EM grid and EFS30.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1998

This study was carried out to confirm whether the developmental capacity of bovine mature oocytes frozen ultra-rapidly using electron microscopic(EM) grids and EFS30 can be obtained, and whether the cryoprotectants and the freezing method used in this study effect detrimentally to the bovine oocytes by indirect immunocytochemistry. As freezing solution, we used EFS30 which consisted of 30% ethylene glycol, 0.5 M sucrose, 18% ficoll and 10% FBS added in D-PBS. The results obtained in this experiment were summarized as follows: When the effects of cryoprotectant and freezing procedure on the microtuble, micrfilament and chromatin morphology of oocytes were evaluated using indirect immunocytochemistry, the results of freezing as well as exposure group were not different with that of the control oocytes. When the fertilization abnormality after ultrarapid freezing of bovine mature oocytes was examined by Hoechst staining, the rates of total penetration(96.7, 9.0%), normal two pronuclei formation(74.6, 68.9%) and mean number of sperm / oocyte(1.50, 1.44) were not different between control and freezing group. In addition, when the developmental capacity of frozen-thawed of oocytes(85.5%) was survived, 74.5% of them were cleaved and 31.4% of cleaved embryos were developed to blastocyst. These data were similar to those of the control(76.0%, 34.6%) and exposure(74.5%, 33.0%) except survival rates. Also, when the total cell number of blastocysts produced from the each treatment at day after IVF was examined by hoechst staining, there were not different among groups. There results demonstrate that developmental capacity of frozen-thawed bovine mature oocytes can be successfully obtained by ultra-rapid freezing method using EM grid and EFS30 solution.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2003

Human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines have been derived from human blastocysts and are expected to have far-reaching applications in regenerative medicine. The objective of this study is to improve freezing method with less cryo-injuries and best survival rates in hES cells by comparing various vitrification conditions. For the vitrifications, ES cells are exposed to the 4 different cryoprotectants, ethylene glycol (EG), 1,2-propanediol (PROH), EG with dime-thylsulfoxide (DMSO) and EG with PROH. We compared to types of vehicles, such as open pulled straw (OPS) or electron microscopic cooper grids (EM grids). Thawed hES cells were dipped into sequentially holding media with 0.2 M sucrose for 1 min, 0.1 M sucrose for 5 min and holding media for 5 min twice and plated onto a fresh feeder layer. Survival rates of vitrified hES cells were assessed by counting of undifferentiated colonies. It shows high survival rates of hES cells frozen with EG and DMSO (60.8％), or EG and PROH(65.8％) on EM grids better than those of OPS, compared to those frozen with EG alone (2.4％) or PROH alone (0％) alone. The hES cells vitrified with EM grid showed relatively constant colony forming efficiency and survival rates, compared to those of unverified hES cells. The vitrified hES cells retained the normal morphology, alkaline phosphates activity, and the expression of SSEA-3 and 4. Through RT-PCR analysis showed Oct-4 gene expression was down-regulated and embryonic germ layer markers were up-regulated in the vitrified hES cells during spontaneous differentiation. These results show that vitrification method by using EM grid supplemented with EG and PROH in hES cells may be most efficient at present to minimize cyto-toxicity and cellular damage derived by ice crystal formation and furthermore may be employed for clinical application.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 2006

Vitrification has been suggested to be an effective method for the cryopreservation of human ES cells. However, the efficiency of vitrification with different vehicles remains a matter of ongoing controversy. The objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of cryopreservation in human ES cells by vitrification using different vehicles. A human ES cell line and a variety of vehicles, including micro-droplet (MD), open-pulled straw (OPS) and electron microscopic grid (EM-grid), were employed in an attempt to assess vitrification efficiency. In order to evaluate the survivability and the undifferentiated state of the post-vitrified human ES cells, we conducted alkaline phosphatase staining and characterization via both RT-PCR and immunofluorescence assays. The survival rates of the post-vitrified human ES cells using MD, OPS and EM-grid were determined to be 61.5%, 66.6% and 53.8%, respectively. There also exist significant differences between slow-freezing and vitrification (p<0.01). However, no significant differences were detected between the vehicle types. Finally, the pluripotency of human ES cells after thawing was verified by teratoma formation. Cryopreservation using vitrification is more effective than slow-freezing, and the efficiency of vehicles proved effective with regard to the preservation of human ES cells.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.287-292
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• 2001

Selection of oocyte cryopreseivation method is a prerequisite factor for developing an effective bank system. To develop an effective vitrification method, we examined whether damages in spindle and chromosome morphology induced by vitrification. Intact cumulus-enclosed oocytes were vitrified with DPBS with 5.5 M ethylene glycol and 1.0 M sucrose, and loaded onto eletron microscopic copper grid for storing in liquid nitrogen. Intact vitrified and thawed oocytes were immunostaining for tubulin and karyotying for chromosome. Vitrfied and thawed oocytes had a higher rate of chromosome (32.8% vs. 19.6%) and spindle (32.3% vs. 20.2%) abnormalities compared with fresh oocytes. Mouse oocytes after vitrification at the mature stage showed increased incidence of chromosomal and spindle abnormalities.