• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 2011

Genistein is a product of naturally occurring isoflavones at relatively high levels in soybeans. The harmful effects of ethanol are attributed to the induction of biological processes which lead to an increase in the generation of reactive oxygen species in fetuses. In this study, we investigated the effects of genistein ($1{\times}10^{-8}$ and $1{\times}10^{-7}\;{\mu}g$/ml) on gene expressions of the representative cellular antioxidative enzymes in ethanol (1 ${\mu}l$/ml)-treated mouse fetuses during the critical period (embryonic days 8.5~10.5) of organogenesis using a semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis. The mRNA levels of cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (GPx), phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx, cytosolic CU,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), and mitochondrial SOD were significantly decreased in ethanol-treated fetuses. However, the mRNA levels of ethanol plus genistein-treated fetuses were significantly higher than those of ethanol alone fetuses. These results indicate that genistein can up-regulate the expressions of GPx and SOD mRNAs reduced by the ethanol treatment in fetuses.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.273-284
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• 1992

It is well known that phenytoin (PHT), a commonly prescribed anticonvulsant, has teratogenicity in experimental animals and human. The major malformation induced by PHT in mouse is cleft palate. The mechanisms of the embryotoxic effects of PHT are unknown. However, PHT and synthetic glucocorticoids share several features with respect to their teratogenicity, and it was known that PHT increased maternal corticosterone level. Therefore PHT-induced cleft palate may be mediated indirectly by elevated maternal corticosterone. Recently it was reported that secalonic acid Dinduced cleft palate and elevated endogenous corticosterone level, and that such effects were antagonized by DMSO. The purpose of this work was to investigate whether the elevated maternal corticosterone is associated with the teratogenicity of PHT in the ICR mouse fetuses by treatment with PHT or PHT plus DMSO. PHT (74mg/kg, BW) was daily administered intraperitoneally on day 10~12 of gestation with and without DMSO(2ml/kg, BW), and the fetal malformation was observed on day 18. Maternal serum corticosterone and fetal PHT levels were determined by HPLC. The results are summarized as follows. 1)The percentage of cleft palate incidense in fetuses following treatment with PHT on day 10~12 of gestation was 51.7%. 2)There was a significant decrement in the cleft palate incidence in fetuses to 30.8% in the group treated with PHT plus DMSO compared with 51.7% in that with PHT alone. 3) Maternal serum corticosterone levels following treatment with PHT on day 10~12 of gestation increased by 116~343% compared with that of vehicle control. Such effect was antagonized by DMSO. 4)PHT concentration in the fetuses was not affected by DMSO. These results suggest that PHT-induced cleft-palate in fetuses seems to be closely associated with the elevation of maternal corticosterone level.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.293-298
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• 2001

This study was conducted to observe the bone and cartilage formation of mouse fetuses. Mouse litters were sacrificed at pregnant 14th and 18th day and examined for gross skeletal formation using cartilage and bone staining. We identified well developed cartilage formation at the 14th pregnant day in mouse fetus. However mouse fetus at the 14th pregnant day did not show any part of bone formation. At 18th pregnant day, mouse fetus showed well developed body shape and bone and cartilage formation. This results will provide basic information for the evaluation of mouse malfromation and impairment of skeleton formation. Further study will be needed for exact explanation of bone formation from cartilage portion.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.37-42
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• 1998

2-Bromopropane has been implicated to be the reason for the mass intoxication of workers at an electronic company in Korea. 2-Bromopropane deposition and pattern of DNA replication in mouse fetuses were analyzed after intravenous injection of 2-bromopropane. Injections were administered to pregnant ICR mice in order to cytogenetically evaluate transplacental 2-bromopropane. The results are summarized as follows; 1. A dose-dependent effect on DNA replication was observed equally in the lung, liver and kideneys of fetuses has been exposed to 2-bromopropane transplacentally as reductions of the labeling index. 2. Deposition of transplacentally administred 2-bromopropane in the fetus was lower than placenta.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.273-284
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• 1996

Embryos and fetuses are more sensitive to various environmental agents than are adults or children. The biological effects such as intrauterine death and malformation are closely connected with prenatal exposure very various agents. The sensitivity of these embryonic/fetal effects depends on the stage of pregnancy. From the viewpoint of fetal development, embryonic and fetal stages can be divided into three stages : Preimplantation, organogenetic and fetal. Each stage corresponds to 0 to 4.5days, 4.5 to 13.5days, and 13.5days of gestation in mice, respectively. Many studies on the biologcal effects of mice irradiated by ${\gamma}-rays$ at various stages during organogenesis and fetal period have been performed. Based on these results, the dose-effect and dose-response relationships in malformations, intrauterine death, or retardation of the physical growth have been practically modeled by the ICRP(International Commission on Radiological Protection) and other international bodies for radiation protection. Many experimental studies on mice have made it clear that mice embryos in the preimplantation period have a higher sensitivity to radiation for lethal effects than the embryos/fetuses on other prenatal periods. However, no eratogenic effects of radiation at preimplantation stages of mice have been described in many textbooks. It has been believed that 'all or none action results' for radiation of mice during the preimplantation period were applied. The teratogenic and lethal effects during the preimplantation stage are one of the most important problems from the viewpoint of radiological protection, since the preimplantation stage is the period when the pregnancy itself is not noticed by a pregnant woman. There are many physical or chemical agents which affect embryos/fetuses in the environment. It is assumed that each agents indirectly effects a human. Then, a safety criterion on each agent is determined independently. The pregnant ICR mice on 2, 48, 72 or 96 hours post-conception (hpc), at which are preimplantation stage of embryos, were irradiated whole body Cesium-gamma radiation at doses of 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 Gy with dose rate of 0.2 Gy/min. In the embryos from the fetuses from the mice irradiated at various period in preimplantation, embryonic/fetal mortalities, incidence of external gross malformation, fetal body weight and sex ratio were observed at day 18 of gestation. The sensitivity of embryonic mortalities in the mice irradiated at the stage of preimplantation were higher than those in the mice irradiated at the stage of organogenesis. And the more sensitive periods of preimplantation stage for embryonic death were 2 and 48 hpc, at which embryos were one cell and 4 to 7 cell stage, respectively. Many types of the external gross malformations such as exencephaly, cleft palate and anophthalmia were observed in the fetuses from the mice irradiated at 2, 72 and 96 hpc. However, no malformations were observed in the mice irradiated at 48 hpc, at which stage the embryos were about 6 cell stage precompacted embryos. So far, it is believed that the embryos on preimplantation stage are not susceptible to teratogens such as radiation and chemical agents. In this study, the sensitivity for external malformations in the fetuses from the mice irradiated at preimplantation were higher than those in the fetuses on stage of organogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.132-140
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• 1988

These experiments were carried out to examine the development capacity of mouse blastomers separated from 2 to 8-cell stage mouse embryos. The female ICR and C3H mice were subjected to supervolution by intraperitoneal injection of PMSG and HCG and then mated with males of the same strain. Embryos were flushed from oviducts and uteri on a proper time after injection of HCG. After removal of zona pellucida with 0.5% pronase, each embryos were separated into 1/2, 1/4, 2/4, 1/8, 2/8 and 4/8 embryos by pipetting or a fine glass needle in Ca2＋$.$Mg-2＋ free Hoppe& Pitts medium containing 0.02% EDTA. Splitted embryos were cultured in Hoppe & Pitts medium for 48h to 72h. The embryos developed to blastocyst were transferred to recipients on 2 or 3 days of pseudopregnancy. On the other hand, a monozygotic pairs of 1/2 embryos developed to blastocyst after 48h in vitro culture were transferred to recipients on 2 days of pseudopregnancy or pregnancy. The results obtained were summarized as follows. 1. Success rates of separation of blastomeres from 2-, 4- and 8-cell embryos were 91.7%, 68.5-92.4% and 60.8-90.6%, respectively. 2. Development rates of various type of blastomeres to blastocyst after 72h in vitro culture were ranged 64.7-87.1%. 3. Blastocysts obtained after 48h in vitro culture were transferred to recipients on 2 or 3 days of pseudopregnancy. The production rates of live fetuses after transfer on 2 days, only 1/2, 2/4 and 4/8 embryos, were 13.2%, 13.5% and 17.2%, respectively and those of embryos transferred on 3 days were 11.8%, 9.6% and 11.5%, respectively. However, the production rates of live fetuses 1/2 embryos following 72h in vitro culture and transfer to recipients on 2 or 3 days of pseudopregnancy were 7.7% and 12.5%, respectively. 4. From 29 and 31 pairs of 1/2 embryos transferred to recipients on 2 days of pseudopregnancy or pregnancy, 4 sets of monozygotic twins were produced from only pregnant recipients.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.201-208
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• 2000

PCBs and DDE were determined in the soil samples and the Korean striped field mice, Apodemus agrarius, collected at six localities in Changwon and one locality in Gaduck Island from August 1997 to May 1998. The residual level of PCBs in soils, in which the concentrations of high chlorinated compounds were much higher than those of low chlorinated ones, was highest in the industrial area(IA) in Changwon(60.7 ng/g in average), whereas those of DDE in soils was highest in Gaduck Island(331.9 ng/g in average). However, the levels of each compound detected from soils in the respective remaining places were relatively low. The similar tendency as in the soils was observed in the mice, indicating that the concentration of pollutants in the mice could denote the status of pollution in the terrestrial environment. The composition of PCB congeners in the mice, however, was different from that of soils, but similar to those of other mammals. Moreover, the residual levels of PCBs and DDE in pregnant females from which fetuses were removed were lower than those of males and non-pregnant females. It suggests that these compounds accumulated in pregnant females might have been transferred to the fetuses through placenta as in other mammals. Judging from the above facts, it is suggested that the striped field mouse can be an useful biological index to evaluate the contamination in mammals inhabiting terrestrial environment.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.75-86
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• 1995

Embryos and fetuses are more sensitive to various environmental agents than adults of children biological effects following the exposure, such as intrauterin, malformation, have intimate conception with the prenatal exposure. There have been many studies on radiation and other agent. However, imformation about the ultrasound effects is limited. It is very important to study the effect of ultrasound with these kinds of fatera in consideration of ultrasound protection and safty. In this study, embryonic and fefal effects of ICR mouse embryos irradiated on 24, 48, 12 and 192 hpc of preimplantation and organogenesis period at the intensity of $0.5{\sim}3\;W/cm^2$ were investigated. Many type of external malformation observed in mouse irradiated on 72 hpc and 192 hpc. However, the embryos irradiated on 24 hpc and 48 hpc, at witch embryos had less then 6 cells and were pre-compaction stage, had no sensitivity for external malformation. The threshold doses of external malformation in mouse irradiated on 72 hpc and 192 hpc, at which embryos were consisted of $16{\sim}32$ cells and neural formation stage, were $1\;W/cm^2$ and $0.5\;W/cm^2$.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.263-268
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• 2000

The development of single blastomeres isolated from 2-, 4- and 8-cell mouse embryos and the ability of such blastomeres to survive slow freezing were studied. Of 223, 60 and 188 single blastomeres isolated from 2-, 4- and 8-cell mouse embryos, respectively, 111 blastomeres (49.8%) from 2-cell embryos, 12 blastomeres (20.0%) from 4-cell embryos and blastomeres (16.5) from 8-cell embryos developed into blastocysts after culture for 96 hrs. The recovery rate was 54.2% (65/120), 46.4% (13/28) and 24.3% (17/70) of blastomeres derived from 2-, 4- and 8-cell embryos following freezing and thawing and the survival of frozen-thawed blastomeres was 27.1% (16/59), 36.4% (4/11) and 17.6% (3/17), and respectively. The apparently six normal fetuses were obtained from frozen-thawed blastomere from 2-cell embryos after transferring into the recipients. These results indicate that mouse btastomeres isolated from preimplatation stage embryos can survive storage in liquid nitrogen following slow freezing.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2006

The effects of Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on mouse embryos at the early stage of organogenesis were investigated. Pregnant ICR mice were exposed on day 8 of gestation to MRI at 0.5 T for 0.5 hour to 3 hours. The mortality rates of embryos or fetuses, the incidence of external malformations, fetal body weight and sex ratio were observed at day 18 of gestation. A significant increase in embryonic mortality was observed after exposure to either 0.5 T MRI for 0.5 hour or 2 hours. However, the exposure to MRI for 1 hour or 3 hours did not induce any significant increase in embryonic mortality when compared with control. External malformations such as exencephaly, cleft palate and anomalies of tail were observed in all experimental groups exposed to each MRI. A statistically significant increase of external malformations was observed in all groups treated with 0.5 T MRI for 0.5 hour and 3 hours. The incidence of external malformations in the mice group exposed to 0.5 T MRI for 0.5-hour was found to be higher than those of mice group exposed to 0.5 T MRI for 2 hours. The effects of MRI on the external malformations might not to be dose-dependent. There was no statistically significant difference in fetal body weight and sex ratio among each MRI exposure groups.