• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.121-129
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• 2001

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the efficiency of a method for the cryopreservation of mouse blastocyst.. Methods: Mouse embryos were obtained at 2-cell stage and cultured to blastocyst stage in T6 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Morphologically normal blastocysts were collected and randomly divided to one control and four experimental groups. In control group, blastocysts were cultured in vitro continuously for additional two days. In group 2, blastocysts were exposed to vitrification solution (ethylene glycol) only without cryopreservation (exposure only group). In group 3, 4 and 5, blastocysts were cryopreserved by slow-freezing procedure with glycerol (slow-fteezing group) or by vitrification procedure using EM grids (EM grids group) and cryoloop (cryoloop group), respectively. Frozen blastocysts were thawed and cultured for additional two days. Twenty four hours after thawing, some blastocysts were fixed and stained with Hoechst 33342 (bisbenzimide) and the number of nuclei in each blastocysts were counted to confirm the survival of bias to cysts in experimental groups. Results: Survival rate and hatching rate of the blastocysts in slow-freezing group (24 h: 72.4% and 66.0%, 48 h: 63.2% and 64.6%) and EM grids group (24 h: survival rate 77.3%, 48 h: 70.1% and 71.4%) were significantly lower ($X^2$-test p<0.05) than those of control group (24 h: 93.4% and 86.0%, 48 h: 88.5% and 90.7%). In contrast, the survival rate and hatching rate of the blastocysts in cryoloop group (24 h: 84.1% and 84.1%,48 h 79.3% and 87.7%) is well compared with those in the control group. The mean (${\pm}SD$) cell number of blastocyst in the exposure only ($89.2{\pm}11.5$), EM grids ($85.0{\pm}10.3$) and cryoloop ($89.0{\pm}11.0$) groups, except slow-freezing group ($79.0{\pm}10.0$), were not significantly different from that of control group ($93.1{\pm}13.9$) 24 h after thawing (Student's t-test). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that higher survival rate of vitrified-thawed mouse blastocyst can be obtained using cryoloop as the embryo container at freezing rather than slow-freezing or vitrification using EM grids. The results of this study suggest that vitrification using cryoloop (with ethylene glycol) may be a preferable procedure for mouse blastocyst cryopreservation and could be applied to the human blastocyst cryopreservation.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.17-21
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• 2001

생쥐 초기배아의 체외배양 시 부화에 관련된 단백질 분해효소의 발현 시기와 존재부위를 알아보고 trypsin억제제 benzamidine을 배양액에 첨가하여 부화효소의 역할을 살펴보았다. 부화 효소로 제안되고 있는 trypsin 유사효소의 발현부위를 확인하기 위해 rhodamine이 부착되어 있는 Trypsin subsfrate probe를 이용하여 형광염색하였다. 생쥐 배아의 발생과정에서 trypsin 유사효소의 발현은 후기 상실 배아에서부터 관찰되었으며, 포배기 배아에서는 영양배엽 표면에서 전체적으로 관찰되었다. 특히, 부화가 진행되고 있는 배아의 부화 개시 부위 (blebbing)에서 그 염색 정도가 상대적으로 강함을 확인할 수 있었다. 생쥐 4-세포기 배아의 체외배양 시 배양액에 trypsin 억제제인 benzamidine을 ImM 농도로 첨가하였을 때 포배기로의 발생률은 영향을 받지 않았지만, 부화율은 15.8%로 대조군의 83.0%에 비해 유의하게 (p<0.02) 낮게 나타났다. 배아의 발생단계에 따라 5mM의 benzamidine을 12시간 동안 처리한 경우 부화율이 8.7%로 대조군의 83.0%에 비해 유의하게(p<0.01)낮았다. 결론적으로, trypsin 유사효소는 초기 포배기에서부터 발현되기 시작하며 특히, 후기 포배기에서 그 효소의 작용이 부화 과정에 커다란 영향을 미치는 것이 확인되었다. 또한 배양중 부화 과정에서는 배아 자체에서 분비되는 trypsin 유사효소의 역할만으로도 부화할 수는 있지만 생체 내에서는 배아와 자궁내막 상피와의 상승적 상호 작용에 의해 부화과정이 더 활발히 진행되는 것으로 생각된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.135-141
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• 2011

Objective: Ovarian angiogenesis plays an important role in folliculogenesis. However, little is known about the expression of angiogenic factors during follicular development according to female age. Stromal cell derived factor-$1{\alpha}$ (SDF-$1{\alpha}$) plays a role in granulosa cell survival and embryo quality as an angiogenic chemokine. Leptin is also involved in folliculogenesis and angiogenesis. This study examined expression of SDF-$1{\alpha}$ and leptin, and their effects on the expression of angiogenic factors in the ovary during follicular development according to female age. Methods: Ovaries were collected from C57BL mice of two age groups (6-9 weeks and 24-26 weeks) at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after 5 IU pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) injection. The expression of ovarian SDF-$1{\alpha}$ and leptin mRNA was evaluated by RT-PCR. In the organ culture experiment, the ovaries were cultured in transwell permeable supports with Waymouth's medium treated with various doses of SDF-$1{\alpha}$(50-200 ng/mL) or leptin (0.01-1 ${\mu}g$/mL) for 7 days. Then, mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and visfatin were examined in the cultured ovaries. Results: Expression of SDF-$1{\alpha}$ and leptin in the ovary was significantly lower in the aged mouse group compared to the young mouse group ($p$ <0.05). Expression of these two factors increased with follicular development after PMSG administration. SDF-$1{\alpha}$ treatment stimulated visfatin expression in a dose-dependent manner, while leptin treatment significantly increased eNOS expression. Conclusion: These results suggest that decrease of ovarian SDF-$1{\alpha}$ and leptin expression may be associated with aging-related reduction of ovarian function. SDF-$1{\alpha}$ and leptin may play a role in follicular development by regulating the expression of angiogenic factors in mouse ovaries.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.173-178
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• 2011

The amphetamine derivative 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a potent monoaminergic neurotoxin with the potential to cause serotonergic neurotoxicity, but has become a popular recreational drug. Little has been known about the cellular effects induced by MDMA. This report shows that MDMA inhibits neuronal cell growth and differentiation. MDMA suppressed neuronal cell growth. The results of quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that Egr-1 expression is elevated in mouse embryo and neuroblastoma cells after MDMA treatment. Transiently transfected Egr-1 interfered with the neuronal differentiation of neuroblastoma cells such as SH-SY5Y and PC12 cells. These findings provide evidence that the abuse of MDMA during pregnancy may impair neuronal development via an induction of Egr-1 over-expression.

• 한국환경성돌연변이발암원학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경성돌연변이발암원학회 2004년도 KSOT/KEMS Fall Annual Meeting
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• pp.129-129
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• 2004

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.305-311
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• 2007

cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) is the best-characterized protein kinases and has served as a model of the structure and regulation of cAMP-binding protein as well as of protein kinases. To determine the function of PKA in development, we employed the yeast two-hybrid system to screen for catalytic subunit of PKA $(C\alpha)$ interacting partners in a cDNA library from mouse embryo. A Testis-brain RNA-binding protein (TB-RBP), specifically bound to $C\alpha$. This interaction was verified by several biochemical analysis. Our findings indicate that $C\alpha$ can modulate nucleic acid binding proteins of TB-RBP and provide insights into the diverse role of PKA.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.335-340
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• 2009

Ultrashort pulse laser drilling of polycarbonate track-etched membrane (pTEM) material was used to fabricate a mouse embryo cell trapping device. Holes with a diameter of $2{\mu}m$ to $5{\mu}m$ were fabricated on a $10{\mu}m$ thick membrane using a femtosecond laser with a 150 fs pulse width and 775 nm wavelength and multiple-pulse irradiation. In cell trapping tests, the overall cell occupancy of the machined holes in the fabricated pTEM was found to be more than 80%. The results of a single pulse and multiple pulse irradiation were compared in terms of the surface quality. It was generally found that a single pulse with high energy was less desirable than irradiation with multiple pulses of lower energy.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2019

The ability of oocytes to undergo normal fertilization and embryo development is acquired during oocyte maturation which is transition from the germinal vesicle stage (GV), germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) to metaphase of meiosis II (MII). Part of this process includes redistribution of inositol 1, 4, 5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R), a predominant $Ca^{2+}$ channel on the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Type 1 IP3R (IP3R1) is expressed in mouse oocytes dominantly. At GV stage, IP3R1 are arranged as a network throughout the cytoplasm with minute accumulation around the nucleus. At MII stage, IP3R1 diffuses to the entire cytoplasm in a more reticular manner, and obvious clusters of IP3R1 are observed at the cortex of the egg. This structural reorganization provides acquisition of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ oscillatory activity during fertilization. In this review, general properties of IP3R1 in somatic cells and mammalian oocyte are introduced.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.117-121
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• 2016

Although piglets have been delivered by embryo transfer (ET) with in vitro produced (IVP) embryos and blastocysts, a success rate has still remained lower level. Unlike mouse, human, and bovine, it is difficult to a production of piglets by in vitro fertilization (IVF) because of an inappropriate in vitro culture (IVC) system in pig. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate whether minimized exposure time in IVC can improve the pregnancy and delivery rates of piglets. Immediately after IVM, the oocytes were denuded and co-incubated with freshly ejaculated boar semen for 3.5 to 4 hours at $38.5^{\circ}C$ under 5% $CO_2$ in air. To avoid long-term exposure to in vitro state, we emitted IVC step after IVF. After that the presumptive zygotes were transferred into both oviducts of the surrogate on the same day or 1 day after the onset of estrus. Pregnancy was diagnosed on day 28 after ET and then was checked regularly every month by ultrasound examination. The 3 out of 4 surrogates were determined as pregnant (75%) and a total of 5 piglets (2 females and 3 males) were delivered at $118.3{\pm}2.5$ days of pregnancy period. In conclusion, a short-term exposure time may be an important factor in the production of IVP-derived piglets. It can be apply to the in vitro production system of transgenic pig by IVF, cloning, and pronuclear microinjection methods.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.1-11
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• 2007

착상기 이전 자궁에서 특이적 자궁내막 준비가 진행되어야 하는데, 이는 자궁 내막의 점진적 분화로 배아의 착상과 성공적 임신에 절대적으로 필요하다. 배아 발생 동안에 관찰되는 조직의 재구성은 세포외 기질을 포함한 다양한 요인에 의해 조절된다. 임신 동안에 관찰되는 극적인 변화로는 배아의 이동, 탈락막 반응, 태반의 분화를 그 예로 들 수 있다. 배아와 자궁간의 성공적 착상을 위한 변화들은 배아와 자궁의 착상을 위한 능력 갖출 수 있도록 한다. 이러한 변화과정 중에, 콜라겐이 주성분인 세포외 기질의 극적인 변화가 진행된다. 이러한 변화는 매우 복잡하여 그 기작을 밝히는 것은 쉽지 않으나, 최근 들어 PCR-select cDNA subtraction 방법, microarry 방법 등 대단위 유전자 동정 방법들을 이용하여 많은 후보 유전자가 동정되었다. 스테로이드 호르몬은 임신과 임신 유지에 중요한 역할을 수행하며, 세포외 기질의 재구성을 엄격하게 성스테로이드 호르몬에 의한 유전자 네트워크를 통하여 조절한다. 자궁의 세포외 기질의 병리적 조절이 당뇨병 등에서 보고되고 있다. 세포외 기질의 재구성은 착상과 태아와 자궁의 발달을 이해하는 데 중요하고, 또한 생식과 관련된 질병을 극복하는 데 중요하다. 비록 세포외 기질의 구성성분이 매우 다양하고 복잡하여 논의할 것이 무척 많으나, 본 종설에서는 착상기를 전후한 시기에 콜라겐의 변화를 중심으로 논하였다.