• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.165-172
• /
• 2007

Gonadal development, reproductive cycle and sex ratio of the purplish Washington clam, Saxidomus purpuratus were investigated monthly by histological observations. Samples were collected from May 2006 to April 2007 in the Gangjin Bay of Namhea, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. The clams are dioecious. The gonads consist of a number of oogenic follicle and acinus. Monthly changes in the gonad index reached a maximum in April and a minimum in July. Monthly changes in the condition index reached a maximum in June and a minimum in November. The reproductive cycle of this species can be divided into five successive stages: the recovery and resting stage (June to December), early active stage (January to April), late active stage (February to July), ripe stage (March to October), spent stage (April to October). The main spawning of the clam occurred in July and September in Gangjin Bay. The sex ratio of female to male was not significantly different from 1:1.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.183-187
• /
• 2008

This study was conducted to analyze the expression pattern of inhibitor of DNA binding proteins (Id)1 and Id2 mRNA on folliculogenesis in rat ovary. The ovaries were obtained from 27 days old Sprague-Dawley rat, fixed, dehydrated, and paraffin embedded. For in situ hybridization, anti-sense and sense Idl and Id2 cRNA probes were prepared and applied to the ovarian section. The ovarian sections were coated with NTB-2 emulsion. After that, the slides were developed and counterstained with hematoxylin and eosin staining. In oocytes, the hybridizational signals of Id1 mRNA were strong in primordial and primary follicles, however, there were no signals in that of atretic or preovulatory follicles. The Id2 mRNA signals were also strong in the oocytes of primordial, primary and secondary follicles. Interestingly, the Id2 mRNA was expressed specifically granulosa cells, but nor in oocyte or theca cells in dominant and preovulatory follicles. Based on these results, Id1 and Id2 mRNA was expressed specifically at follicle stages and follicular tissue and might be closely related with follicle development.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.31-35
• /
• 2007

The main purpose of this study was to improve the efficiency and quality of in vitro embryo production in Korean Native Cows (KNC). We examined the effects of ovarian morphologies (Experiment 1) and the culture vessel (Experiment 2) on in vitro maturation (IVM). We measured the subsequent development rates and cell numbers of blastocysts. In Experiment 1, the ovaries of KNC were divided into six groups, based on follicle and corpus luteum (CL) morphology. The development rates to the 2- and 8-cell stages were similar among the six groups. The development rates to blastocyst stages were significantly higher in the group without a CL or follicle (WOCL/F) than in the groups with follicular cysts (FCs), regressive CLs (RCLs) or cystic CLs (CCLs) (p<0.05). The cell number of the inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocysts in the FCs and RCLs groups, and the number of cells in the trophectoderm (TE) in the WOCL/F group, FCs, growing CLs (GCLs) and RCLs were significantly higher than in other groups (p<0.05). The total cell number (TCN) in the WOCL/F, FC and RCL groups was also significantly higher than in other groups (p<0.05). The ICM cell number/TCN ratio was significantly higher in the FC and RCL groups than in the GCL and DF groups (p<0.05). In Experiment 2, oocyte IVM was carried out in culture dishes, in 0.25- or 0.5-ml straws used for freezing sperm. The development rate to the 2-cell stage was significantly higher in the 0.5-ml straw group than in the 0.25-ml straw group. The development rates to the blastocyst stage were similar in the dish and the two straw groups. There were no differences in the cell numbers of ICM, TE or TCN or ICM cell number/TCN ratios between groups.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.111-117
• /
• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate pregnancy outcomes and the live birth rate at 1-year age increments in women aged ${\geq}40years$ undergoing fresh non-donor in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET), and to identify predictors of success in these patients. Methods: This retrospective study was performed among women ${\geq}40years$ of age between 2004 and 2011. Of the 2,362 cycles that were conducted, ET was performed in 1,532 (73.1%). Results: The clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate in women ${\geq}40years$ significantly decreased with each year of increased age (p<0.001). Maternal age (odds ratio [OR], 0.644; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.540-0.769; p<0.001), basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels (OR, 0.950; 95% CI, 0.903-0.999; p=0.047), the number of high-quality embryos (OR, 1.258; 95% CI, 1.005-1.575; p=0.045), and the number of transferred embryos (OR, 1.291; 95% CI, 1.064-1.566; p=0.009) were significant predictors of live birth. A statistically significant increase in live birth rates was seen when ${\geq}3$ embryos were transferred in patients 40 to 41 years of age, whereas poor pregnancy outcomes were seen in patients ${\geq}43years$ of age, regardless of the number of transferred embryos. Moreover, the cumulative live birth rate increased in patients 40 to 42 years of age with repeated IVF cycles, but the follicle-stimulating hormone in those ${\geq}43years$ of age rarely showed an increase. Conclusion: IVF-ET has acceptable outcomes in those < 43 years of age when a patient's own oocytes are used. Maternal age, basal FSH levels, and the number of high-quality embryos and transferred embryos are useful predictors of live birth.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.10
• /
• pp.1392-1397
• /
• 2016

Guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit alpha-s ($Gn{\alpha}s$) is a small subunit of the G protein-couple signaling pathway, which is involved in the formation of coat color. The expression level and distribution of $Gn{\alpha}s$ were detected by quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot, and immunohistochemistry to investigate the underlying mechanisms of coat color in white and black skin tissues of mice. qPCR and western blot results suggested that $Gn{\alpha}s$ was expressed at significantly higher levels in black mice compared with that of white mice, and transcripts and protein possessed the same expression in both colors. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated $Gn{\alpha}s$ staining in the root sheath and dermal papilla in hair follicle of mice skins. The results indicated that the $Gn{\alpha}s$ gene was expressed in both white and black skin tissues, and the expression level of $Gn{\alpha}s$ in the two types of color was different. Therefore, $Gn{\alpha}s$ may be involved in the coat color formation in mice.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 2017

Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble secosteroid responsible for enhancing intestinal absorption of calcium, iron, and other materials. Vitamin D3 deficiency, therefore, can cause health problems such as metabolic diseases, and bone disorder. Female sex hormones including estrogen and progesterone are biosynthesized mainly in the granulosa cells of ovary. In this study, we isolated granulosa cells from porcine ovary and cultured for the experiments. In order to examine the effect of vitamin D3 on the ovarian granulosa cells, the mRNA and protein levels of genes were analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blot assay. The production of estrogen from the granulosa cells was also measured by the ELISA assay. Genes associated with follicle growth were not significantly altered by vitamin D3. However, it increases expression of genes involved in the estrogen-biosynthesis. Further, estrogen concentrations in porcine granulosa cell-cultured media increased in response to vitamin D3. These results showed that vitamin D3 is a powerful regulator of sex steroid hormone production in porcine granulosa cells, suggesting that vitamin D deficiency may result in inappropriate sexual development of industrial animals and eventually economic loss.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2003.10a
• /
• pp.365-368
• /
• 2003

Hair follicles develop as a result of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions between epidermal keratinocytes and dermal cells. Moreover hair follicles constitute multiple cells that influence hair follicle development and cyclic activity. We isolated some cells using explantation and enzymatic digestion method from human scalp hair follicles. So we could culture some follicular cells, such as outer root sheath (ORS) cells, dermal papilla (DP) cells, dermal sheath (DS) cells, matrix cells and melanocyte.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2003.10a
• /
• pp.359-362
• /
• 2003

The recent development of methods for culturing hair follicles in vitro has proved an important tool to investigate many aspects of drug screening. Human hair follicle is composed of multiple types of cells, whose interactions regulate morphology and cycling-anagen, catagen, and telogen. Many investigators have tried to develop models to prolong of the period of hair elongation in vitro. However these are limited in submerged culture, which don't work due to the lack of cell-cell interactions which are abundant in vivo environment. So we applied dermal equivalent (DE) to culturing flair follicles to prolong hair growth period.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.61-66
• /
• 2000

This study was investigated to analyze the inactivating point mutation and expression level of follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) receptor mRNA. In first experiment, we analyzed the point mutation. Peripheral blood was collected from each patient. To screen individuals for the C566T mutation, PCR was performed for exon 7 of the FSH receptor gene in 10 patients. No inactivating point mutation of FSH receptor gene was identified in women with premature ovarian failure. To analyze the expression level of FSH receptor, mRNA expressions were examined by RT-PCR method using specific primers for the FSH receptor. The amount of FSH receptor mRNA expressed in POF patients was lower than that in the control group. But it was not significantly different. These finding suggests that lower expression of FSH receptor in premature ovarian failure patients might be the cause of the low response to the gonadotropin during the hyperstimulation in IVF-ET cycles.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.203-209
• /
• 2002

The aim of this study was to assess the developmental capacity of oocytes maturated in vitro after 10 days of culture when the preantral follicles were isolated from juvenile mice 10- and 20-day old, respectively, and to develop in vitro culture system that observed a view to morphology of follicles and nucleus maturation of oocytes. The antral-like cavities became formation after 6 days of culture in follicle isolated from 10- and 20-day old mice. The number of follicles were 21.5 and 33.3 in ovary isolated from 10- and 20-day old mice, respectively. The diameters of oocytes were 51.85 and 57.50 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ before culture and were grew 55.95 and 63.11 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ after culture for 10 days, in follicles isolated from 10- and 20-day old mice, respectively. The observation rates up to the M II and from GV to M II were 4.3 and 22.1%, and 14.5 and 61.1% after culture for 10 days in follicles isolated from 10- and 20-day old mice, respectively.