• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 1988

우수정란의 이식전 성판별이 관한 연구를 수행하기 위하여 GTH와 PGF$_2$$\alpha$투여에 대한 난소반응과 회수난자의 발유단계별 동결융해후 생존성을 조사하였으며, 이식전 수정라느이 성판별을 위하여 H-Y항체 처리후 정상발육 난자의 염색체를 분석하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 웅성 비장세포(male, spleen cells)를 면역원으로 mouse와 rat에 투여, 항혈청의 항체를 확인한 결과 mouse에서는 C57 BL계통과 rat에서는 DonRyu 계통이 항체생산능력이 우수하였다. 공란우 87두에 hormone(2500IU PMSG, 25mg PGF$_2$alpha)처리하여 평균 57.8%의 채란유과 두당 4.9개의 난자가 회수되었으며, 전체회수란자(427개)중 moula(162개)와 blastocyst(190개)의 정상발육란자는 82.4%였다. 동결융해후 회수된 난자 (312개)중, 형태적으로 정상인 난자(241개)의 비율은 77.2% 발육단계별 성적은 blastocyst(83.4%)가 morula(71.0%)보다 우수하였다. 항체와 보체(Guinea pig serum)로 처리된 82개의 morula중 15개(18.3%)가 blastocyst로 발육되어 이중 5개(33.3%)가 성이 판별되었으며, 모두 xx형 성염색체를 갖는 자성수정란으로 판명되었다.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.318-321
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• 2019

Recent studies showed that tight junctions (TJs) integrity and assembly are required for blastocyst development in mouse and pig models. However, the biological functions of TJs associated with embryo implantation and maintenance of pregnancy were not investigated yet. To examine whether disrupted TJs affect further embryo development, we employed RNAi approach and inhibitor treatment. The embryos were injected with Cxadr (Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor) siRNA for knock down (KD) and treated with Adam10 (A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase specific inhibitor 10; GI254023X; SI). We compared blastocyst development and paracellular sealing assay using FITC dextran uptake between control and KD or SI embryos. Finally, we transferred control and Cxadr KD or Adam 10 SI treated blastocyst to uteri of recipients. Cxadr KD and Adam 10 SI showed lower blastocyst development and more permeable to FITC-dextran. Moreover, we observed that half of KD and inhibited embryos failed to maintain pregnancies after the second trimester. Our findings suggested that TJs integrity is required for the maintenance of pregnancy and can be used as a selective marker for the successful application of assisted reproduction technologies.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2020

Objective: Despite extensive research on implantation failure, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between the embryo and the maternal endometrium, which is critical for successful pregnancy. Profilin 1 (PFN1), which is expressed both in the embryo and in the endometrial epithelium, acts as a potent regulator of actin polymerization and the cytoskeletal network. In this study, we identified the specific role of endometrial PFN1 during embryo implantation. Methods: Morphological alterations depending on the status of PFN1 expression were assessed in PFN1-depleted or control cells grown on Matrigel-coated cover glass. Day-5 mouse embryos were cocultured with Ishikawa cells. Comparisons of the rates of F-actin formation and embryo attachment were performed by measuring the stability of the attached embryo onto PFN1-depleted or control cells. Results: Depletion of PFN1 in endometrial epithelial cells induced a significant reduction in cell-cell adhesion displaying less formation of colonies and a more circular cell shape. Mouse embryos co-cultured with PFN1-depleted cells failed to form actin cytoskeletal networks, whereas more F-actin formation in the direction of surrounding PFN1-intact endometrial epithelial cells was detected. Furthermore, significantly lower embryo attachment stability was observed in PFN1-depleted cells than in control cells. This may have been due to reduced endometrial receptivity caused by impaired actin cytoskeletal networks associated with PFN1 deficiency. Conclusion: These observations definitively demonstrate an important role of PFN1 in mediating cell-cell adhesion during the initial stage of embryo implantation and suggest a potential therapeutic target or novel biomarker for patients suffering from implantation failure.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 1998

The uptake of glucose for metabolism and growth is essential to most animal cells and is mediated by glucose-transporter (GLUT) proteins. The aim of this study was to determine which class of glucose transporter molecules was responsible for uptake of glucose in the mouse early embryo and at which stage the corresponding genes were expressed. In addition, co-culture system with vero cell was used to investigate the effect of the system on GLUT expression. Two-cell stage embryos were collected from the superovulated ICR female and divided into 3 groups. As a control, embryos were cultured in 0.4% BSA-T6 medium which includes glucose. For the experimental groups, embryos were cultured in either co-culture system with vero cells or glucose-free T6 medium supplemented with 0.4% BSA and pyruvate as an energy substrate. 2-cell to blastocyst stage embryos in those groups were respectively collected into microtubes (50 embryos/tube). Total RNA was extracted and RT-PCR was performed. The products were analysed after staining ethidium bromide by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. Blastocysts were collected from each group at l20hr after hCG injection. They were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde, stained with hoechst, and mounted for observation. In control, GLUT1 was expressed from 4-cell to blastocyst. GLUT2 and GLUT3 were expressed in morula and blastocyst. GLUT4 was expressed in all stages. When embryos were cultured in glucose-free medium, no significant difference was shown in the expression of GLUT1, 2 and 3, compared to control. However GLUT4 was not expressed until morular stage. When embryos were co-cultured with vero cell, there was no significant difference in the expression of GLUT1, 2, 3 and 4 compared to control. To determine cell growth of embryos, the average cell number of blastocyst was counted. The cell number of co-culture ($93.8{\pm}3.1$, n=35) is significantly higher than that of control and glucose-free group ($76.6{\pm}3.8$, n=35 and $68.2{\pm}4.3$, n=30). This study shows that the GLUT genes are expressed differently according to embryo stage. GLUTs were detectable throughout mouse preimplantation development in control and co-culture groups. However, GLUT4 was not detected from 2- to 8-cell stage but detected from morula stage in glucose-free medium, suggested that GLUT genes are expressed autocrinally in the embryo regardless of the presence of glucose as an energy substrate. In addition, co-culture system can increase the cell count of blastocyst but not improve the expression of GLUT. In conclusion, expression of GLUT is dependent on embryo stage in preimplantation embryo development.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.233-237
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• 2001

To develop an effective vitrification method, we examined the use of a conventional straw as vessel fur vitrification of mouse oocytes, and to compare the post-thaw survival and chromosome configuration of these oocytes with those vitrified in grids. Intact cumulus-enclosed oocytes were vitrified with DPBS with 5.5 M ethylene glycol and 1.0 M sucrose, and loaded into straws and onto eletron microscopic copper grid fur storing in liquid nitrogen. Intact vitrified and thawed oocytes were karyotying for chromosome. The rates of post-thawed survival were 88.5% in vitrified oocytes with straws, and 83% in vitrified ooctyes with grids. Vitrified and thawed oocytes with straws and grids were increased chromosomal abnormality (31.4% and 30.9%) compared with fresh oocytes (17.8%). The conventional straws can be used as vessel for vitrification to prevent of inflection in liquid nitrogen.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 1994

생쥐 배반포로부터 내부세포괴(inner cell mass, ICM)를 outgrowth로 분리하여 증식 시킴으로써 배아주(embryonic stem, ES)세포를 확립하고자 본 실험을 실시하였다. 과배란처리와 교미에 의해 생산된 ICR 생쥐의 3.5일 배반포를 sDMEM내의 배아성 섬유아단흥배양층에 배양하여 ICM세포의 증식을 조사한 결과, 3.5일부터 분리한 ICM세포들은 배양 7, 8일에 각각 1,500 및 3,200세포의 미분화세포로 증식하였다. 이들 세포의 계대배양에 의해 잠정적인 ES세포 colony를 얻었으며 10회의 계대배양후에도 그 형태가 변하지 않았다. 이들 세포는 다능성의 분화능을 보여 전형적인 ES세포 형태를 보였다. 이 같은 결과는 ICR배반포에서 outgrowth로 분리한 ICM으로부터 ES세포 확립이 가능함을 보여준 것이다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2002.06a
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• pp.19-25
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• 2002

Researches on manipulation pluripotent stem cells derived from blastocysts or promordial germ cells (PGCs) have a great advantages for developing innovative technologies in various fields of life science including medicine, pharmaceutics, and biotechnology. Since the first isolation in the mouse embryos, stem cells or stem cell-like colonies have been continuously established in the mouse of different strains, cattle, pig, rabbit, and human. In the animal species, stem cell biology is important for developing transgenic technology including disease model animal and bioreactor production. ES cell can be isolated from the inner cell mass of blastocysts by either mechanical operation or immunosurgery. So, mass production of blastocyst is a prerequisite factor for successful undertaking ES cell manipulation. In the case of animal ES cell research, various protocol of gamete biotechnology can be applied for improving the efficiency of stem cell research. Somatic cell nuclear transfer technique can be applied to researches on animal ES cells, since it is powerful tool for producing clone embryos containing genes of interest. In this presentation, a brief review was made for explaining how somatic cell nuclear transfer technology could contribute to improving stem cell manipulation technology.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.47-61
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• 2014

Stored maternal factors in oocytes regulate oocyte differentiation into embryos during early embryonic development. Before zygotic gene activation (ZGA), these early embryos are mainly dependent on maternal factors for survival, such as macromolecules and subcellular organelles in oocytes. The genes encoding these essential maternal products are referred to as maternal effect genes (MEGs). MEGs accumulate maternal factors during oogenesis and enable ZGA, progression of early embryo development, and the initial establishment of embryonic cell lineages. Disruption of MEGs results in defective embryogenesis. Despite their important functions, only a few mammalian MEGs have been identified. In this review we summarize the roles of known MEGs in mouse fertility, with a particular emphasis on oocytes and early embryonic development. An increased knowledge of the working mechanism of MEGs could ultimately provide a means to regulate oocyte maturation and subsequent early embryonic development.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.75-75
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• 2003

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 1989

Hydrogel chambers made from polymerized 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate were used for in chamber fertilization. To determine whether sperm motility was preserved in the Hydrogel chamber, chambers which have rabbit sperm or frozen-thawed bovine sperm were transplanted inside of mouse peritoneal cavity and sperm were observed after recovering the chambers in the due time. As a result, it was determined that preservation of sperm motility was good. To determine whether in chamber fertilization was possible, chambers which have rabbit oocytes and sperm were transplanted inside of mouse peritoneal cavity and eggs were observed after recovering the chambers at 84 hr of preservation. As a result, the fact that fertilization and culture was occurred inside of the chamber was determined.