• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.243-248
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• 2003

Sperrnatogenesis, the process by which the male germ-line stem cells(GSCs; type A spermatogonia) divide and differentiate to produce the mature spermatozoa, occurs in the seminiferous tubules of the testis. The GSCs proliferate actively to produce two types of cells: other GSCs and differentiating spermatogonia. GSCs have unipotentcy, devoted solely to the generation of sperm. The function of GSCs has broad implications for development, disease, and evolution. Spermatogenesis is fundamental for propagation of species and the defects of this system can result in infertility or disease. The ability to identify, isolate, culture, and alter GSCs will allow powerful new approaches in animal transgenesis and human gene therapy relating to infertility. Until recently, research on stem cells in the testis has been limited because of technical difficulties in isolating and identifying these cell populations. Here, we were trying to find out optimal conditions for in vitro culture of GSCs for identifying and isolating GSCs. We collected mouse GSCs from 3-days old mouse by two-step enzyme digestion method. GSCs were plated and grown on mouse embryonic fibroblasts in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) containing 15％ fatal bovine serum, 10 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, 1％ non-essential amino acids, 1 ng/$m\ell$ bFGF, 10 $\mu$M forskolin, 1500 U/$m\ell$ human recombinant leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Over a period 3∼5 days, GSCs gave rise to large multicellular colonies resembling those of mouse pluripotent stem cells. After 5th passages, cells within the colonies continued to be alkaline phosphatase and Oct-4 positive and tested positive against a panel of two immunological markers(Integrin $\alpha$ 6 and Integrin $\beta$ 1) that have been recognized generally to characterize GSCs. SSEA-1, SSEA-3, and SSEA-4 also showed positive signals. Based on our data, these GSCs-derived cultures meet the criteria for GSCs itself and even other pluripotent stem cells. We reported here the establishment of in vitro cultures from mouse male GSCs.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2014

Programmed cell death or apoptosis is associated with changes in $K^+$ concentration in many cell types. Recent studies have demonstrated that two-pore domain $K^+$ ($K_{2P}$) channels are involved in mouse embryonic development and apoptotic volume decrease of mammalian cells. In cerebellar granule neurons that normally undergo apoptosis during the early developmental stage, TASK-1 and TASK-3, members of $K_{2P}$ channels, were found to be critical for cell death. This study was performed to identify the role of $K^+$ channels in the $H_2O_2$-induced or cryo-induced cell death of mouse and bovine embryos. Mouse and bovine two-cell stage embryos (2-cells) exposed to $H_2O_2$ for 4 h suffered from apoptosis. The 2-cells showed positive TUNEL staining. Treatment with high concentration of KCl (25mM) inhibited $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis of 2-cells by 19%. Cryo-induced death in bovine blastocysts showed positive TUNEL staining only in the cells near the plasma membrane. Cryoprotectant supplemented with 25 mM KCl reduced apoptosis slightly compared to cryoprotectant supplemented with 5 mM KCl. However, the combination of antioxidants (${\beta}$-mercaptoethanol) with 25 mM KCl significantly decreased the rate of $H_2O_2$-induced and cryo-induced apoptosis compared to treatments with only antioxidants or 25 mM KCl. These results show that blockage of $K^+$ channel efflux for a short-time reduces $H_2O_2$- and cryo-induced apoptosis in mouse and bovine embryos. Our findings suggest that apoptosis in mouse and bovine embryos might be controlled by modulation of $K^+$ channels which are highly expressed in a given cell type.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2011

Development of mouse fetus brains can be defined morphologically and functionally by three developmental stages, embryo day (ED) 16, postnatal stage one week and eight weeks. These defined stages of brain development may be closely associated with differential gene expression rates due to limited cellular resources such as energy, space, and free water. Complex patterns of expressed genes and proteins during brain development suggests the changes in relative concentrations of proteins rather than the increase in numbers of new gene products. This study was designed to evaluate early protein expression pattern in mouse fetus brain. The mouse brain proteome of fetus at ED 15.5, and 19.5 was obtained using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (DE). Analysis of the 2-DE gels in pH 3-10 range revealed the presence of 15 differentially expressed spots, of which 11 spots were identified to be known proteins following MALDI-TOF analysis; 3 spots were up-regulated and 8 spots were down-regulated in the mouse fetus brain at ED 15.5. UP-regulated proteins were identified as MCG18238, isoform M2 of pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2, isoform 2 of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H2, creatine kinase B-type, 40S ribosomal protein SA and hemoglobin subunit beta-H1. Down-regulated proteins were putative uncharacterized protein, lactoylglutathione lyase and secreted acidic cysteine rich glycoprotein. Our results revealed composite profiles of mouse fetus brain proteins related to mouse fetus development by 2-DE analysis implying possible roles of these proteins in neural differentiation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 1991

To find out the suitable method for blastomeres fusion of mouse 2-cell embryo using electric stimuli, these studies were carried out with various voltages (1.0 KV, 1.2 KV, 1.5 KV, 1.7 KV and 2.0KV), pulse duration times($50{\mu}\;sec$, $75/{\mu}\;sec$, $100{\mu}\;sec$) and different fusion solutions. In addition, the fused embryos were cultured for 72-80hr to observe their subsequent development. These results were summarized as follows: 1. The proportion of the fused embryos were 50.8%(34/67), 60.7%(34/56), 70.6%(48/68), 66.7% (48/72) and 85.3% (58/68) after stimuli of 1.0KV, 1.2KV, 1.5KV, 1.7KV and 2.0KV for $100{\mu}\;sec$ with 2 times, and the electric stimulation at 2.0KV(85.3%) was the most effective voltage on the blastomere fusion. 2. For in vitro development, blastocysts of the fused embryos were cultured for 72-80hrs in $M_{16}$ medium. The group(52.1%) treated with 1.5KV for $100{\mu}\;sec$ with 2 times showd higher development rates than those any other group. However, these results were not corresponded to those of the rates of blastomere fusion. 3. There were no significant differences among the rates of blastomeres fusion to 50(70.6%), 75(71.9%), and 100(78.0%) ${\mu}sec$ stimulation at 1.5KV with two times. However, the development rates of the fused embryo in vitro were 52.1%(25/48), 28.3%(13/46) and 9.4%(3/32) at the above conditions, and the development rates of fused embryo increased as the pulse duration times increased. 4. The rates of the blastomeres fusion were 38.9% (28/72) or 70.6% (48/68) in electrolyte (PBS) or non-electrolyte(0.3M mannitol) solution. The development rates of the fused embryo were 32.1% (9/28) or 52.1%(25/48) in the above fusion solutions, and non-electrolyte-treated group showed higher development rates of embryo than that of electrolyte-treated group.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.235-240
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• 2014

Ethylene glycol (EG) has been successfully used as a cryoprotectant for vitrification of mammalian embryos (including human embryos) due to its low formula weight and high permeation into cells compared with other cryoprotectants, including propylene glycol (PROH). Cryopreservation is able to store the surplus pre-embryos for freezing and furthermore thawing and transfer in a subsequent cycle. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of embryonic stage, cryoprotectant, and freezing-thawing method on the rates of survival and development of the cryopreserved mouse early embryo and finally to establish the cryopreservation method of surplus embryos obtained during assisted reproductive technology (ART). Female ICR mice (6~8 weeks old) were induced to superovulate by sequential intraperitoneal injection of 5 IU PMSG and 5 IU hCG 48 h apart. Mouse embryos were collected according to its developmental stage after the injection of hCG. Embryos were cryopreserved not only during cryoprotectant step (1~4 step) but also in a variety of media (HTF, IVF medium, D-PBS) and cell stage. The results were as follows : There is no clear advantage in these freezing media of rapid method, but 4 cell and 8 cell of slow method (2, 3 and 4 step) have advantage in D-PBS. The development of embryos according to cell stage become greater in 8 cell stage. In the treatment steps of cryopreservation, the development of embryo to blastocyst was similar among rapid method, but the development of 4 cell and 8 cell embryos to blastocyst according to slow method was better than rapid method.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.235-245
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• 2009

Embryonic stem (ES) cells have a capability to generate all types of cells. However, the mechanism by which ES cells differentiate into specific cell is still unclear. Using microarray technology, the differentiation process in mouse embryonic stem cells was characterized by temporal gene expression changes of mouse ES cells during differentiation in a monolayer culture. A large number of genes were differentially regulated from 1 day to 14 days, and less number of genes were differentially expressed from 14 days to 28 days. The number of up-regulated genes was linearly increased throughout the 28 days of in vitro differentiation, while the number of down-regulated genes reached the plateau from 14 days to 28 days. Most differentially expressed genes were functionally classified into transcriptional regulation, development, extra cellular matrix (ECM),cytoskeleton organization, cytokines, receptors, RNA processing, DNA replication, chromatin assembly, proliferation and apoptosis related genes. While genes encoding ECM proteins were up-regulated, most of the genes related to proliferation, chromatin assembly, DNA replication, RNA processing, and cytoskeleton organization were down-regulated at 14 days. Genes known to be associated with embryo development or transcriptional regulation were differentially expressed mostly after 14 days of differentiation. These results indicate that the altered expression of ECM genes constitute an early event during the spontaneous differentiation, followed by the inhibition of proliferation and lineage specification. Our study might identify useful time-points for applying selective treatments for directed differentiation of mouse ES cells.

• 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.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.85-89
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• 2011

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a useful tool for reproducing genetically identical animals or producing transgenic animals. Many reports have demonstrated that the efficiency of animal cloning by SCNT requires reprogramming of the somatic nucleus to a totipotent like-state. The SCNT-related reprogramming might mimic the natural reprogramming process that occurs during normal mammalian development. However, recent evidence indicates that the reprogramming event by SCNT is incomplete. In this study, the traditional SCNT procedure (TNT) was modified by injecting donor nuclei into recipient cytoplasm prior to the enucleation process to expose the donor nucleus before removing the karyoplast containing the chromosomes of the oocytes which might possess additional reprogramming factors, and this modified technique was named as reversing the usual order of SCNT (RONT). Other procedures including activation and in vitro culture were the same as TNT. Contrary to expectations, the rate of blastocyst development was not different significantly between RONT and TNT (8.6% and 7.9%, respectively). However, duration of micromanipulation performed by the same technician and equipments was remarkably reduced because the ruptured oocytes after nuclear injection were excluded from the enucleation process. This study suggests that RONT, a simplified SCNT protocol, shortens the duration of SCNT procedure and this less time-costing protocol may enable the researchers to perform murine SCNT easier.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.251-256
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• 1995

This study was experimented that developmental effects of bovine in vitro fertilized embryos by coculture system and supplementation of energy materials into simple media. With the ovaries from slaughter house in vitro maturation by 24h, in vitro fertilization was performed with sperms collected by Percoll gradient method. Fertilized embryos were cocultured in 15% FCS+CZB medium with BOEC(bovine oviductal epithelial cell), GCM (granulosa cell monolayer) and MEFC(mouse embryonic fihrohlast cell). And also in this study, there was trying to improve the early developmental rate of embryos by addition of concentration-controlled Na-pyruvate, D-glucose which were used as energy sources into CZB medium. In vitro developmental rate was confirmed by the cleavage rate of 48h post-IVF and the embryo development rate at 240h culture. In the coculture system BOEC had 20.0% of blastocysts rate, which was higher than that of other coculture systems. To determine the optimum concentration for early embryo developmental rate rapidly, through the gradient of concentrations of Na-pyruvate and D-glucose, we focused on the cleavage rate at 48h and blastocysts rate at 240h. In case of Na-pyruvate, cleavage rate and developmental rate over 3-cell were lower at the concentration of 1.OOrnM than the other treatment concentrations, otherwise the blastocysts rate was higher as 23.2% than the others. That result showed that as like reported group which had higher develop-mental rate over 3-cell was also higher to the blastocysts rate. In case of D-glucose, there was no effects through the concentration changes. It was the result of this study for which the use of BOEC coculture system and 1.OOmM Na-pyruvate as an energy source had an effect upon embryo development.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.248-258
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• 2022

Objective: This research investigated the effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)-producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) on the implantation rate and embryo attachment in mice. Methods: In this experimental study, a DNA fragment of the HCG gene was cloned into an expression vector, which was transfected into PBMCs. The concentration of the produced HCG was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Embryo attachment was investigated on the co-cultured endometrial cells and PBMCs in vitro. As an in vivo experiment, intrauterine administration of PBMCs was done in plaque-positive female mice. Studied mice were distributed into five groups: control, embryo implantation dysfunction (EID), EID with produced HCG, EID with PBMCs, and EID with HCG-producing PBMCs. Uterine horns were excised to characterize the number of implantation sites and pregnancy rate on day 7.5 post-coitum. During an implantation window, the mRNA expression of genes was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: DNA fragments were cloned between the BamHI and EcoRI sites in the vector. About 465 pg/mL of HCG was produced in the transfected PBMCs. The attachment rate, pregnancy rate, and the number of implantation sites were substantially higher in the HCG-producing PBMCs group than in the other groups. Significantly elevated expression of the target genes was observed in the EID with HCG-producing PBMCs group. Conclusion: Alterations in gene expression following the intrauterine injection of HCG-producing PBMCs, could be considered a possible cause of increased embryo attachment rate, pregnancy rate, and the number of implantation sites.