• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.99-105
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• 2018

To determine the differences in the in-vitro ovum maturation process of bovine, we compared the expression of MMPs in these oocytes and cumulus cell throughout oocytes maturated. In an attempt to investigate the effect of MMP activation and inhibitors in total protein of cumulus cell and, oocytes during oocytes maturation, we examined and monitored the localization and expression of MMPs (MMP-2 and MMP-9), TIMPs (TIMP-2 and TIMP-3), as well as their expression profiles (Real-time PCR, Gelatin Zymography and ELISA). Our results that the bovine oocytes MMP-2 and MMP-9 level was significantly associated with the rate of maturity of oocytes (P<0.05). In cumulus cell, MMP-2 was highly expressed in all stages of the oocyte's maturation. The final oocytes maturation exhibited strong gelatinase activity. There was no significant correlation between cumulus cell MMP-9 and the maturation rate of oocytes. However, for the oocyte cytoplasm MMP-9 expression was significant correlation to the maturation oocytes. There was no significant correlation between cumulonimbus cells MMP-9 and oocyte maturation rates; however, for oocyte cytoplasm, MMP-9 expression was significantly correlated with mature oocyte. However, the TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 protein expression patterns are not correlated with the maturation rate of the oocyte. Our results suggest that MMP different expression pattern may regulate the morphological remodeling of oocyte's in the cumulus cell. Further, the MMP-2 expression has a strong relation with a higher maturation rate of the oocyte.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.75-75
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• 2003

Since the establishment of embryonic stem cell, pluripotency of the cells was known to allow differentiation of the cells into various cell types consisting whole body. Several protocols have been developed to induce expression of specific genes.. However, no precise protocol that will generate a single type of the cells from stem cells has been reported. In order to produce cells suitable for transplantion into brain of PD animal model, which arouse due to a progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in midbrain, human embryonic stem cell (hESC, MB03) was transfected with cDNAs cording for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Successful transfection was confirmed by western immunoblotting. Newly transfected cell line (TH#2/MB03) was induced to differentiate by the two neurogenic factors retinoic acid (RA) and b-FGF. Exp. I) Upon differentiation using RA/ascorbic acid (AA), embryoid bodies (EB, for 4days) derived from hES cells were exposed to RA (10$^{-6}$ M)/AA (50 mM) for 4 days, and were allowed to differentiate in N2 medium for 7, 14, 21, or 28 days. Exp. II) When bFGF was used, neuronal precursor cells were selected for 8 days in N2 medium after EB formation. After selection, cells were expanded at the presence of bFGF (20 ng/ml) for another 6 days followed by a final differentiation in N2 medium for 7, 14, 21 or 28 days. By indirect immunocytochemical studies, proportion of cells expressing NF200 increased rapidly from 20% at 7 days to 70 % at 28 days in RA/AA-treated group, while those cells expressing NF160 decreased from 80% at 7 days to 10% at 28 days upon differentiation in N2 medium. However, in differentiation by RA/AA treatment system, there was a significant increase in proportion of neuron maturity (73%) at day 14 after N2 medium. TH#2/MB03 cells expressing TH are >90% when matured at the absence of either bDNF or TGF-$\alpha$. These results suggested that TH#2/MB03 cells could be differentiated in vitro into mature neurons by RA/AA.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.268-268
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• 2006

Due to their multipotency, stem cells can differentiate into a variety of specialized cell types, such as chondrocytes, osteoblasts, myoblasts, and nerve cells. As an alternative to mature tissue cells, stem cells are of importance in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Since interactions between scaffold and cells play an important role in the tissue development in vitro, synthetic oligopeptides have been immobilized onto polymeric scaffolds to improve specific cell attachment and even to stimulate cell differentiation. In this study, chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells was evaluated using surface-modified PLLA scaffolds, i.e., either hydrophilic acrylic acid (AA)-grafted PLLA or RGD-immobilized one. Porous PLLA scaffolds were prepared using a gas foaming method, followed by plasma treatment and subsequent grafting of AA to introduce a hydrophilicity (PLLA-PAA). This was further processed to fix RGD peptide to make an RGD-immobilized scaffold (PLLA-PAA-RGD). Stem cells were seeded at $1{\times}10^{6}$ cells per scaffold and the cell-PLLA constructs were cultured for up to 4 weeks in the chondrogenic medium. Using these surface-modified scaffolds, adhesion, proliferation, and chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells were evaluated. The surface of PLLA scaffolds turned hydrophilic (water contact angle, 45 degrees) with both plasma treatment and AA grafting. The hydrophilicity of RGD-immobilized surface was not significantly altered. Cell proliferation rate on the either PLLA-PAA or PLLA-PAA-RGD surface was obviously improved, especially with the RGD-immobilized one as compared to the control PLLA one. Chondrogenic differentiation was clearly identified with Safranin O staining of GAG in the AA- or RGD-grafted PLLA substrates. This study demonstrated that modified polymer surfaces may provide better environment for chondrogenesis of stem cells.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.976-985
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• 2017

Iron is an essential divalent ion for aerobic life. Life has evolved to maintain iron homeostasis for normal cellular and physiological functions and therefore imbalances in iron levels exert a wide range of consequences. Responses to iron dysregulation in blood development, however, remain elusive. Here, we found that iron homeostasis is critical for differentiation of Drosophila blood cells in the larval hematopoietic organ, called the lymph gland. Supplementation of an iron chelator, bathophenanthroline disulfate (BPS) results in an excessive differentiation of the crystal cell in the lymph gland. This phenotype is recapitulated by loss of Fer1HCH in the intestine, indicating that reduced levels of systemic iron enhances crystal cell differentiation. Detailed analysis of Fer1HCH-tagged-GFP revealed that Fer1HCH is also expressed in the hematopoietic systems. Lastly, blocking Fer1HCH expression in the mature blood cells showed marked increase in the blood differentiation of both crystal cells and plasmatocytes. Thus, our work suggests a relevance of systemic and local iron homeostasis in blood differentiation, prompting further investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying iron regulation and cell fate determination in the hematopoietic system.

• ALGAE
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.323-332
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• 2006

Mitochondrial distribution and abundance were assessed during the growth of apical and subapical cells in the red algae Colaconema caespitosum (J. Agardh) Jackelman, Stegenga and Bolton and Antithamnion cruciatum (C. Agardh) Nägeli after staining with 3,3’-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide [DiOC6(3)] and 2,4’-dimethylaminostyryl-Nethylpyridinium iodide (DASPEI). In fully elongate apical cells of C. caespitosum there were 100-120 mitochondria. During apical cell enlargement and division there is a doubling and then halving of the mitochondrial numbers. Apical cells prior to cytokinesis in young filaments are smaller than in mature filaments (ca. 50 and 100 μm long, respectively) and have fewer mitochondria (ca. 100 and 120 mitochondria per cell, respectively). In older vegetative cells mitochondria tend to aggregate at opposite ends of the cells with some mitochondria associated with the central nucleus or at points of apparent branch initiation. There is a greater density of mitochondria in apical cells of smaller versus larger plants (one mitochondrion per 6.3 μm3 and 9.8 μm3, respectively), suggesting that apical cells of younger plants may be more metabolically active. Male and female gametophytic thalli of Antithamnion cruciatum had similar numbers of mitochondria in apical cells of indeterminate axes, as did gametophytic and sporophytic thalli. There were about 40-50 mitochondria in fully elongated apical cells with about half this number in newly divided apical and subapical cells. Apical cells of determinate branches had more mitochondria (60-77) than indeterminate branches (60-70 vs. 40-50). In both species and in all cell types mitochondrial numbers were highly correlated with cell size.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.306-316
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• 1997

Embryogenic calli were induced from mature seed scutella of anther culture-derived rice variety Zhonghua 8. Cell suspension cultures were initiated from friable embryogenic calli and utilized as source material for protoplast isolation. Generally, the older and finer cell suspensions gave higher protoplast yields than younger suspension cultures. Protoplasts exhibited sustained cell division and formed microcalli when cultured in KPR medium supplemented with 0.5 mg $l^{-1}$ 2,4-D, 1.0 mg $l^{-1}$ NAA and 0.5 mg $l^{-1}$ zeatin using the agarose embedding procedure without feeder cells. Protoplast plating efficiencies ranged from 0.20 to 0.54％. Microcalli were transferred to MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg $l^{-1}$ kinetin and 0.5mg $l^{-1}$ NAA for plant regeneration. The regeneration frequencies were 2 to 12％, depending on the cell suspension lines of Zhonghua 8. The plants were transferred to the glasshouse and were fertile.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.233-236
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• 2009

Purpose: Spindle cell lipoma(SCL) is an uncommon subcutaneous soft tissue neoplasm that arises in the shoulder and posterior neck of older male patients. The imaging appearance of SCL is not pathognomonic and can display some features overlapping with liposarcoma. We report a case of SCL on the posterior neck. Method: The patient is a 50 - year - old man with a slowly enlarging subcutaneous mass on the right side of posterior neck. Computed tomographic imaging revealed a 7.0 cm sized, well - circumscribed, heterogenous and fatty mass with enhanced solid components. Whole body Fluorine - 18 Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron emission tomogram(FDG PET-CT) showed little increase of FDG uptake on the right posterior neck and there was no distant metastasis. Results: The mass was surgically removed. The resection margin was free of tumor on frozen biopsy. Histopathologic examination indicated spindle cell lipoma consisting of a mixture of mature adipocytes and uniform spindle cells within a matrix of mucinous material. Conclusion: Although CT image of solidtary mass in posterior neck is similar with the one of liposarcoma, we should consider that it may be a spindle cell lipoma if PET-CT and other systemic studies reveal no distant metastasis. And we should perform fine needle aspiration to differentiate SCL from malignant lesions.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.623-632
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of zoledronate(Zometa(R)), which is most common nitrogen containing bisphosphonate, on survival, proliferation, and differentiation of osteoblast. Material & Methods: Twenty four cell culture plates containing essential medium were seeded with UMR-106 cell lines, at density of 5 x $10^4 cells per plates. Each plates were incubated with 5% $CO^2 incubator at $37^{\circ}C$. Starting from 2 days after incubation, cell culture medias were replaced, and added with osteogenesis induction media and 0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, $3\muM$ of zoledronate(Zometa(R)), every 2 days, for 12 days. Control group was plates not added with zoledronate($0\muM$), and experiment group were plates added with different concentration of zoledronates(0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, $3\muM$). Mature osteoblasts were identified with Alizarine Red staining, and protein samples were collected. Optical density was determined at wavelength of 405nm with ELISA reader. For viability analysis, cells were harvested and incubated with propidium iodide, and analysed with flow cytometry. Western blot technique was used to analyse Runx2 protein of osteoblast. Results : Secretion of bone matrix decreased as zoledronate concentration increased, and zoledronate did not effect survival rate of UMR-106 cells when measured with flow cytometer. Expression of Runx2 protein was inhibited as zoledronate concentration increased. Conclusion : From the results, we were able to identify that increase of zoledronate concentration inhibited differentiation of UMR-106 cell to osteoblast, without effecting quantity or survival rate.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.403-410
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• 1998

The Tcf-1 (T cell specific factor-1) is a transcription factor uniquely expressed in T-lineage cells. Its expression is developmentally regulated, which is high in the specific stage of immature thymocytes, but is much lower in mature T cells. We cloned the Tcf-1 gene by subtractive hybridization and found it to be highly expressed in the thymus compared to the mRNA level in the spleen as expected. Since apoptosis occurs enormously in the thymus, we were interested in whether Tcf-1 gene expression could be regulated by such a high level of apoptotic assault. By using T cell hybridoma 70.7 cells, we induced apoptosis by incubating cells with anti-CD3 antibody in vitro. After apoptosis induction, Tcf-1 mRNA level was found to be significantly reduced compared to normal cells. Since Tcf-1 is a transcription factor for the CD3-e gene, we tested how CD3-e expression is regulated in apoptotic cells. The surface level of CD3-e protein is also down-regulated after apoptosis induction. Such a down-modulation of CD3-e protein would reduce the TCR/CD3 complex on the cell surface, which would be an important regulator for T cell apoptosis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 1963

Present experiment has been carried out in order to make clear the abnormalities of the female gametophyte formation and its relation to fertility, using the short-style of F. koreana, the results of which are summarized as follows : (1) Anatropous ovule has single integument with thick cell-layer and tiny nucellus consisting of nucella-epidermis and megaspore mother cell. (2) Meiotic division of megaspore mother cell takes place around middle or latter part of March, while that of microspore mother cell occurs from the end of September to the beginning of October. (3) Megaspore mother cell stage is long, and ranges from October to March next year. (4) Formation of mature embryo sac is not completed until the beginning of May, approximately one month after blooming. (5) Normal embryo sac is rare, most of the nucellus being devoid of embryo sac.