• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.117-120
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• 2005

This study was conducted to establish the optimal temperature condition before oocyte activation in B6m F1 mouse. In experiment 1, two embryo culture media (CZB vs KSOM) were evaluated for the development of activated mouse oocytes. Parthenogenetic embryos cultured in KSOM showed better blastocyst development than ones cultured in CZB $(56.2\%\;vs\;81.0\%\;p<0.01)$. Two-hour of pre-incubation before activation significantly reduced the number of hatched blastocysts in KSOM $(22.0\%\;versus\;8.8\%\;p<0.05)$. In experiment 2, recovered oocytes were pre-incubated at different temperature conditions before activation. The experimental groups were divided by 5 as follows. Group A: pre-incubation for 120 min at $37^{\circ}C$, Group B: pre-incubation at $37^{\circ}C$ for 90 min then at $25^{\circ}C$ for 30 min, Group C: pre-incubation at $37^{\circ}C$ for 60 min then at $25^{\circ}C$for 60 min, Group D: pre-incubation at $37^{\circ}C$ for 30 min then at $25^{\circ}C$ for 90 min, and Group E: pre-incubation at $25^{\circ}C$ for 120 min before activation. Group A $(67.6\%)$ and B $(66.7\%)$ showed better development to the blastocyst stage than other groups $(Group\;C:\;50.0\%\;Group \;D:\;49.2\%\;Group\;E:\;33.3\%,\;p<0.05)$. The present study indicates that the temperature before activation affects the development of B6D2 F1 mouse parthenogenetic oocytes and exposure to room temperature should be limited to 30-min when the oocytes are left in HEPES-buffered medium for micromanipulation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.209-212
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• 1994

Mophological normal of unfertilized oocytes, which was collected 12-14 hours after human Chorionic Gonadotropin(jCG) injection, was not influenced by chronically adiministration of cocaine for 2 weeks in mice. Proportion of normal unfertilized oocytes in non-cocaine treated group (control), `0 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg cocaine treated group based on body weight with subcutaneous(s.c.) daily injection of cocaine for 2 weeks were 92.9%, 85.6% and 90.9%, respectively. There is no significant difference between control and cocaine treated groups. Two to 8 cell stage embryos collected 24-48 hours post hCG in control group were 66.7%, whereas, 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg groups treated with cocaine was 12.5% and 27.3% respectively. Although control and treated groups are significantly different (p<0.05) the developmental score of 2 to 8 cell stage embryos collected at 24-48 hours post HCG, there is no difference between 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg treated with cocaine groups. These results indicated that the normal embryos of the roups of cocaine administration were significantly amested when compared with that of control group. The proportion of 2 to 8 cell stage embryo reaching the blastocyst stage, which were cultured 48-52 hours with 5% $Co_2$ in air at $37^{\circ}C$, were 93.9% in control group and, 70.4% and 71.9% in each 10 mg/kg and to blastocyst in vitro culture was significantly limited embryos obtained from cocanized mice compared with those of control mice. These results suggest that episode of cocaine intoxication can cause impaiment of early embrygenesis in the mouse.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1665-1672
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• 2008

Interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) is a useful method to preserve endangered species and to study the reprogramming event of a nuclear donor cell by the oocyte. Although several studies of iSCNT using murine cells and bovine oocytes have been reported, the development of murine-bovine iSCNT embryos beyond the 8-cell stage has not been successful. In this paper, we examined the developmental potential of embryos reconstructed with a murine embryonic fibroblast as the nuclear donor and a bovine oocyte as the cytoplasm recipient. The reconstructed embryos were cultured in CZB (murine medium) or CR1aa (bovine medium). In addition, for the development of a murine-bovine iSCNT blastocyst, the antioxidant ${\beta}$-mercaptoethanol (${\beta}ME$) was supplemented to CR1aa medium. Furthermore, to verify the mouse genome activation in murine-bovine iSCNT embryos, RT-PCR analysis of murine Xist was performed. The development of the murine-bovine iSCNT embryos cultured in CR1aa was significantly higher than that in CZB (p<0.05). With respect to the effect of BME on the development of the murine-bovine iSCNT blastocyst, addition of BME produced a significant increase in blastocyst development (p<0.05). Karyotype analysis confirmed that the reconstructed embryos were derived from murine cells (40XX). The Xist gene was gradually increased from the 8-cell stage to the blastocyst stage. This is the first report of blastocyst development of iSCNT embryos derived from murine somatic cells and bovine oocytes. These results demonstrate that bovine cytoplasm can support the development of later stages of a preimplantation embryo from murine-bovine iSCNT.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 1998

It was reported that the etiologies of recurrent spontaneous abortion are immunologic factors, endocrinologic problems, anatomical abnormalities, genetic abnormalities, infection, and unexplained factors. Among those etiologic factors, genetic abnormalities occur in about 5% of the couples who experience recurrent spontaneous abortions, and most common parental chromosomal abnormality contributing to recurrent abortion is balanced translocation. The advent of in vitro fertilization (IVF), the development of skills associated with the handling of human embryo, and an explosion of knowledge in molecular biology have opened the possibility of early diagnosis of genetic disease in preimplantation embryos. Therefore preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is indicated for couples, infertile or not, at risk of transmitting a genetic disease. A case of successful pregnancy and term delivery by PGD using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique in patient with recurrent spontaneous abortion due to balanced translocation is presented with brief review of literatures.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2013

Objective: To investigate outcomes of stimulated IVF cycles in which GnRH antagonist was omitted on the ovulation triggering day. Methods: A total of 86 women who underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with recombinant FSH and GnRH antagonist flexible multiple-dose protocols were recruited and prospectively randomized into the conventional group (group A) or cessation group (group B). The GnRH antagonist, 0.25 mg/day of cetrorelix, was started when the leading follicle reached 14 mm in diameter and was continuously administered until the hCG triggering day (group A, 43 cycles) or until the day before hCG administration (group B, 43 cycles). The maturity of oocytes, fertilization rate, embryo quality, and implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were evaluated. Results: The duration of ovarian stimulation, total dose of gonadotropins, serum estradiol levels on hCG administration day, and number of oocytes retrieved were not significantly different between the two groups. The total dose of GnRH antagonist was significantly lower in group B than group A ($2.5{\pm}0.9$ vs. $3.2{\pm}0.8$ ampoules, p<0.05). There was no premature luteinization in any of the subjects. The proportion of mature oocytes and fertilization rate were not significantly different in group B than group A (70.7% vs. 66.7%; 71.1% vs. 66.4%, respectively). There were no significant differences in the implantation or clinical pregnancy rates. Conclusion: Our prospective randomized study suggested that cessation of GnRH antagonist on the hCG administration day during a flexible multiple-dose protocol could reduce the total dose of GnRH antagonist without compromising its effects on pregnancy rates.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.767-778
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• 2023

The aim of the research is to identify that porcine oocytes can function as recipients for interspecies cloning and have the ability to develop to blastocysts. Furthermore each mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in interspecises cloned embryos was analyzed. For the study, mouse-porcine and porcine-porcine cloned embryos were produced with mouse fetal fibroblasts (MFF) and porcine fetal fibroblasts (PFF), respectively, introduced as donor cells into enucleated porcine oocytes. The developmental rate and cell numbers of blastocysts between intraspecies porcine-porcine and interspecies mouse-porcine cloned embryos were compared and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for the estimate of mouse and porcine mtDNA copy number in mouse-porcine cloned embryos at different stages.There was no significant difference in the developmental rate or total blastocyst number between mouse-porcine cloned embryos and porcine-porcine cloned embryos (11.1 ± 0.9%, 25 ± 3.5 vs. 10.1 ± 1.2%, 24 ± 6.3). In mouse-porcine reconstructed embryos, the copy numbers of mouse somatic cell-derived mtDNA decreased between the 1-cell and blastocyst stages, whereas the copy number of porcine oocyte-derived mtDNA significantly increased during this period, as assessed by real-time PCR analysis. In our real-time PCR analysis, we improved the standard curve construction-based method to analyze the level of mtDNA between mouse donor cells and porcine oocytes using the copy number of mouse beta-actin DNA as a standard. Our findings suggest that mouse-porcine cloned embryos have the ability to develop to blastocysts in vitro and exhibit mitochondrial heteroplasmy from the 1-cell to blastocyst stages and the mouse-derived mitochondria can be gradually replaced with those of the porcine oocyte in the early developmental stages of mouse-porcine cloned embryos.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1245-1252
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• 2017

Objective: Phellodendron amurense (P. amurense) and Humulus japonicus (H. japonicus) are closely involved in anti-oxidative response and increasing antioxidant enzymes activities. However, the effects of their extracts on development of preimplantation bovine embryos have not been investigated. Therefore, we investigated the effects of P. amurense and H. japonicus extracts on developmental competence and quality of preimplantation bovine embryos. Methods: After in vitro fertilization, bovine embryos were cultured for 7 days in Charles Rosenkrans amino acid medium supplemented with P. amurense ($0.01{\mu}g/mL$) and H. japonicus ($0.01{\mu}g/mL$). The effect of this supplementation during in vitro culture on development competence and antioxidant was investigated. Results: We observed that the blastocysts rate was significantly increased (p<0.05) in P. amurense ($28.9%{\pm}2.9%$), H. japonicus ($30.9%{\pm}1.5%$), and a mixture of P. amurense and H. japonicus ($34.8%{\pm}2.1%$) treated groups compared with the control group ($25.4%{\pm}1.6%$). We next confirmed that the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were significantly decreased (p<0.01) in P. amurense and/or H. japonicus extract treated groups when compared with the control group. Our results also showed that expression of cleaved caspase-3 and apoptotic cells of blastocysts were significantly decreased (p<0.05) in bovine blastocysts derived from both P. amurense and H. japonicus extract treated embryos. Conclusion: These results suggest that proper treatment with P. amurense and H. japonicus extracts in the development of preimplantation bovine embryos improves the quality of blastocysts, which may be related to the reduction of ROS level and apoptosis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.166-171
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• 2012

Objective: We compared the assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes among infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) treated with IVM, conventional IVF, GnRH agonist, and GnRH antagonist cycles. Methods: The prospective study included a total of 67 cycles in 61 infertile women with PCOS. The women with PCOS were randomized into three IVF protocols: IVM/IVF with FSH and hCG priming with immature oocyte retrieval 38 hours later (group A, 14 cycles), GnRH agonist long protocol (group B, 14 cycles), and GnRH antagonist multi-dose flexible protocol (group C, 39 cycles). IVF outcomes, such as clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), implantation rate (IR), miscarriage rate (MR), and live birth rate (LBR), were compared among the three groups. Results: Age, BMI, and basal FSH and LH levels did not differ among the three groups. The number of retrieved oocytes and 2 pronucleus embryos was significantly lower in group A compared with groups B and C. The CPR, IR, MR, and LBR per embryo transfer showed no differences among the three groups. There was no incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in group A. Conclusion: The IR, MR, and LBR in the IVM cycles were comparable to those of the GnRH agonist and GnRH antagonist cycles. The IVM protocol, FSH and hCG priming with oocyte retrieval 38 hours later, is an effective ART option that is comparable with conventional IVF for infertile women with PCOS.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.40.1-40.13
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• 2022

Background: Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is used widely in cloning, stem cell research, and regenerative medicine. The type of donor cells is a key factor affecting the SCNT efficiency. Objectives: This study examined whether urine-derived somatic cells could be used as donors for SCNT in pigs. Methods: The viability of cells isolated from urine was assessed using trypan blue and propidium iodide staining. The H3K9me3/H3K27me3 level of the cells was analyzed by immunofluorescence. The in vitro developmental ability of SCNT embryos was evaluated by the blastocyst rate and the expression levels of the core pluripotency factor. Blastocyst cell apoptosis was examined using a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling assay. The in vivo developmental ability of SCNT embryos was evaluated after embryo transfer. Results: Most sow urine-derived cells were viable and could be cultured and propagated easily. On the other hand, most of the somatic cells isolated from the boar urine exhibited poor cellular activity. The in vitro development efficiency between the embryos produced by SCNT using porcine embryonic fibroblasts (PEFs) and urine-derived cells were similar. Moreover, The H3K9me3 in SCNT embryos produced from sow urine-derived cells and PEFs at the four-cell stage showed similar intensity. The levels of Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2 expression in blastocysts were similar in the two groups. Furthermore, there is a similar apoptotic level of cloned embryos produced by the two types of cells. Finally, the full-term development ability of the cloned embryos was evaluated, and the cloned fetuses from the urine-derived cells showed absorption. Conclusions: Sow urine-derived cells could be used to produce SCNT embryos.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.575-580
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• 2016

This study was performed to determine whether supplementation of tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor, during vitrified cryopreservation enhances the development of frozen mouse embryos. Mouse 8-cell stage embryos were collected and exposed to a cryoprotectant solution containing TUDCA or TM (tunicamycin, an ER stress inhibitor) at room temperature and stored in liquid nitrogen following vitrification. The final concentration of TUDCA or TM was $50{\mu}M$. The survival and development rates of mouse 8-cell stage embryos exposed to TUDCA- or TM-containing solutions at room temperature or stored in liquid nitrogen following vitrification were measured. There were no significant differences in survival rate and blastocyst formation rate among control, TUDCA, and TM groups after embryos were exposed to vitrification solutions at RT. When mouse 8-cell stage embryos were treated with TUDCA or TM and then stored in liquid nitrogen, the survival rates of control and TUDCA groups were significantly higher than for the TM group. Blastocyst formation rate of the TUDCA group following in vitro culture was significantly higher than that in control or TM groups. The TM group showed a lower (p < 0.05) blastocyst formation rate than the other two groups. Our results indicate that TUDCA supplementation during cryopreservation of mouse embryos could enhance their development capacity.