• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.254-262
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• 2023

Background: Water deer and sika deer, which breed in the wild environment, are known to have similar reproductive physiology mechanisms. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the differences in uterine development between water deer and sika deer during estrus. Methods: MMPs and uterine development-related factors were analyzed and morphological differences were compared in the uterus of sika deer captured near Russia near Korea and water deer captured in the wild in Korea. Results: In terms of morphological differences in the uterus, the glands that form villus within the endometrium of the water deer were newly developed, and the formation of small glands was high, but the villus and glands of the sika deer were expanded, and the stroma zone in the myometrium was higher than that of the water deer. Development has increased. Additionally, the expression of PAPP-A and VEGF factors was increased in the endometrium of water deer than in sika deer, but the actions of MMPs were increased in sika deer. Conclusions: As a result of this study, there is a significant difference in the development of glands in the endometrium of water deer and sika deer during estrus, and it is believed that there is a significant difference in the development of the uterus due to the physiological effects of estrus between water deer and sika deer. Additionally, it is believed that there will be differences in the timing at which pregnancy can be decided.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.5
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• pp.1103-1123
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• 2021

The uterus can be largely divided into the uterine corpus and uterine cervix. Diseases that can occur in the uterine corpus, composed of the endometrium and myometrium, vary from benign to malignant tumors. Ultrasound and CT are the primary non-invasive evaluation methods to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors, but in some cases, they are difficult to differentiate due to their non-specific imaging findings. However, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which has high resolution, helps not only in locating lesions but also in evaluating histological characteristics and staging of malignant tumors. In this review article, the characteristic MRI findings that radiologists should be aware of regarding various benign and malignant tumors detected in the uterine corpus are summarized with their points of differentiation.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.34-44
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• 1990

The study was carried out to elucidate the effects of ovarian function on the thyroid gland, adrenal gland and uterus in female rats. One hundred and forty-four mature female rats were allotted into the three groups ; ovariectomized group, estradiol treated group and intact control group. The ovaries of 48 heads of rats were completely removed. Forty eight heads of rats were administered with $200{\mu}g$ of estradiol benzoate every 48 hours. Serum estradiol-$17{\beta}$ and progesterone levels were determined with radioimmunoassay method at 3, 6, 12, 24 hours and 5, 10, 15 days after treatment. The rats were necropsied to measure weights of thyroid gland, adrenal gland and uterus and to examine the histological changes in the organs. The results obtained were as follows ; 1. Serum estradiol-$17{\beta}$ levels were rapidly decreased below 27.20pg/ml 18 hours after ovariectomy. In estradiol treated rats the levels were rapidly increased 18 hours after treatment, but thereafter slowly decreased. The significant differences in the estradiol level were found between the group at every observation time. 2. Serum progesterone levels were significantly decreased after ovariectomy and estradiol injection. The lowest level was found in the group of ovariectomized rats. 3. The weights of thyroid glands decreased in ovariectomized rats rather than in intact rats 5 days after treatment. The weights tended to increase after estradiol injection but significant differences between the groups were seen on 10th and 15th days. 4. In the histological findings of thyroid glands, follicular epithelial cells were changed to be squamous 5 days after ovariectomy and accompanied pyknosis 10 days and karyorrhexis 15 days after ovariectomy. On the contrary follicular epithelial cells were changed to be columnar with hypertrophy 10 days after estradiol injection. 5. The significant differences in adrenal gland weights were recognized between all the groups 5 and 15 days after treatment in ovariectomized rats were lighter than intact rats and the adrenal gland weights were rather heavier in estradiol treated rats. 6. The days after ovariectomy the adrenal glands were atrophied accompanying with pyknosis in the cortical cells of zona fasciculata. The cells in zona fasciculata and zona reticularis started to hypertrophy 5 days after estradiol injection, but no changes were found in the zona glomerulosa of adrenal cortex and in the adrenal medulla. 7. The significant differences in uterus weights were recognized between the groups at each observation time. After ovariectomy the uterus weights decreased rapidly but after estradiol injection they increased rapidly. 8. Through histological examination of uterus, the atrophy and degeneration started to occur in endometrium and lamina propria 12 hours after ovariectomy, and in myometrium one day after ovariectomy, and the changes progressed rapidly after that. On the contrary, the myometrium was proliferated and hypertrophied from 12 hours after estradiol-$17{\beta}$ injection.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.189-197
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• 2009

Two-pore domain $K^+(K_{2P})$ channels contribute to setting the resting membrane potential in excitable and nonexcitable cells. However, the cellular or tissue distribution and function of $K_{2P}$ channels expressed in mammalian germ cells and reproductive organs have not yet been reviewed by researchers. In this review, we focus on expression, localization and expected properties of $K_{2P}$ channels in germ cells and reproductive organs. The $K_{2P}$ channels are expressed in human cytotrophoblast cells, myometrium, placental vascular system, uterine smooth muscle, and pregnant term tissue, suggesting that $K_{2P}$ channels might be involved in the processes of pregnance. The $K_{2P}$ channels are also expressed in mouse zygotes, monkey sperm, ovary, testis, germ cells, and embryos of Korean cattle. Interestingly, $K_{2P}$ channels are modulated by changes in temperature and oxygen concentration which play an important role in embryonic development. Also, $K_{2P}$ channels are responsible for $K^+$ efflux during apoptotic volume decreases in mouse zygotes. These expression patterns and properties of the $K_{2P}$ channels in reproductive organs and germ cells are likely to help the understanding of ion channel-related function in reproductive physiology.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.301-309
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• 2009

Estrogens induce pronounced structural and functional changes in male and female reproductive system, but the exact mechanisms of estrogen are not fully understood. In relation to estrogen's function, the present study was designed to identify effects of estrogen receptor agonist, 4,4',4"- (4-propyl-[1H]-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl)tris phenol (PPT) in the reproductive organ of the female mouse. The PPT was subcutaneously given to adult female mice at a weekly dosage of 3 mg in a volume 0.06 mL of vehicle for 3, 5 or 8 weeks whereas controls received weekly injections of the castor oil vehicle. Effects of PPT on reproductive organs were analyzed using a light microscope. PPT induced decreases of body, ovary and adipose tissue weights with experimental time. Ovary diameter of PPT treatment group was reduced as compared with control group. The number of Graffian follicle and corpus luteum was reduced in PPT treatment group. The luminal diameter of uterus was increased in relation with decrease of myometrium and endometrium height by PPT administration. The number of uterine glands was decreased by PPT treatment. These data indicate that PPT treatment induced morphological change of female reproductive organs resulting in alteration of fertility.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6691-6696
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• 2015

Background: Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynecological cancer and its treatment is still controversial, especially in its early stages. There are conflicting data about the efficacy of retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy during abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingoophrectomy treatment. Lymphadenectomy carries a risk of severe complications, especially in women with co-morbidities. Selective lymphadenectomy has been widely employed for staging evaluation of endometrial carcinoma because it is simple and seems to provide reliable data regarding nodal metastasis. This study was designed to evaluate accuracy of sentinel node sampling in detecting lymph node metastasis in primary endometrial carcinoma during staging laparotomy. Materials and Methods: Ninety-three women with endometrial carcinoma at high-risk for nodal metastasis were studied. During laparotomy, methylene blue dye was injected into sub-serosal myometrium, then retroperitoneal spaces were opened and blue lymph nodes within pelvic and para-aortic regions were removed as separate specimens for histopathological examination (sentinel lymph nodes = SLNs). Hysterectomy and selective lymphadenectomy then performed for all women included in this study. Results: Deposition of methylene dye into at least one lymph node was observed in 73.1% (68/93) of studied cases. 18.3% (17/93) of studied women had positive lymph node metastasis and 94.1% (16/17) of them had positive metastasis in SLNs. In this study, SNLs had 94.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity in prediction of lymph node metastasis. Mean number of lymph nodes removed from each case decreased when SLNs biopsy were taken. Conclusions: SLNs are the key lymph nodes in endometrial tumor metastasis and their involvement could be an indicator for whether or not complete systematic lymphadenectomy is needed during staging laparotomy.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.217-228
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• 1995

The study was designed to investigate the effects of progesterone on the reproductive system. This investigation was performed by immunohistochemical methods using anti-bromodeoxyuridine-antibody following bromodeoxyuridine(Brdur) injection for labeling proliferating cells in the uterus and ovary of rats. Sixteen female rats(Wistar), weighing initially 300g, were randomly allotted into ovariectomized and unovariectomized large groups. These two large groups were subdivided into three subgroups of control, 3-day and 6-day groups, respectively. 3-days and 6-days group were injected with 1mg of progesterone/rat/day for 3 or 6 days, respectively. In gross findings, the uterus of ovariectomized groups markedly atrophied, and were not hypertrophied by progesterone injection for 3 days or 6 days and the uterus of unovariectomized groups also were not hypertrophied. Labeling index(LI, %) was measured by counting the number of Brdur-positive cells from 300 to 3,000 cells per layer in the uterus tissue. The average LI of the uterus in unovariectomized groups was higher than that of ovariectomized groups. The subgroups with higher LI in unovariectomized groups were ordered as 6-day group, 3-day group. So progesterone considerably effected to the proliferating of the cells in the uterus of unovariectomized groups. The layers with higher LI in the uterus wall were ordered as the functional zone of endometrium, epithelial layer of endometrium, basal zone of endometrium, myometrium and perimetrium. The cell types with higher LI in the uterus of unovariectomized groups were ordered as the surface epithelial cells, stromal cells, glandular epithelial cells and muscle cells. Growing follicles with proliferating cells from secondary and tertiary follicles in the ovary of unovariectomized groups appeared to be 37.66% in control group, 39.23% in 3-day groups, 39.47% in 6-day groups. Mature follicles in the ovary were more number in control group than those in 3-day groups but not appeared in 6-day groups. So progesterone not nearly effects to the number of the growing follicles but appeared to be related to suppression of the development and protrusion of the mid-tertiary and mature follicles on the ovary surface. The cell types with higher LI in the ovary of unovariectomized groups were respectively ordered as granulosa cells, theca interns cells in secondary follicles; theca interna cells, granulosa cells, theca externa cells in tertiary follicles; fibroblasts, theca in terns cells in atretic follicles; fibroblasts, luteal cells in corpus luteum.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1123-1127
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• 2015

Uterine leiomyomas (ULM), are benign tumors of the smooth muscle cells of the myometrium. They represent a common health problem and are estimated to be present in 30-70% of clinically reproductive women. Abnormal angiogenesis and vascular-related growth factors have been suggested to be associated with ULM growth. The angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) is related with several tumors. The aim of this study was to identify possible correlation between ULM and the ACE I/D polymorphism, to evaluate whether the ACE I/D polymorphism could be a marker for early diagnosis and prognosis. ACE I/D was amplified with specific primer sets recognizing genomic DNA from ULM (n=72) and control (n=83) volunteers and amplicons were separated on agarose gels. The observed genotype frequencies were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium ($x^2=2.162$, p=0.339). There was no association between allele frequencies and study groups ($x^2=0.623$; p=0.430 for ACE I allele, $x^2=0.995$; p=0.339 for ACE D allele). In addition, there were no significant differences between ACE I/D polymorphism genotype frequencies and ULM range in size and number ($X^2=1.760;$ p=0.415 for fibroid size, $X^2=0.342;$ p=0.843 for fibroid number). We conclude that the ACE gene I/D polymorphism is not related with the size or number of ULM fibroids in Turkish women. Thus it cannot be regarded as an early diagnostic parameter nor as a risk estimate for ULM predisposition.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1399-1405
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• 2013

The present study focused on establishing the effects of interferon-gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) on interleukin-18 (IL-18) expression patterns and pregnancy outcomes in pregnant rats. Pregnant rats at the post-implantation stage were randomized into control, low IFN-${\gamma}$ (L-IFN-${\gamma}$) and high IFN-${\gamma}$ groups (H-IFN-${\gamma}$) that received normal saline, 100 IU/g of IFN-${\gamma}$ and 500 IU/g of IFN-${\gamma}$ vaginal muscular injection, respectively. The effects of IFN-${\gamma}$ on IL-18 expression and pregnancy outcomes were assessed systematically using several methods, including immunohistochemistry streptavidin-perosidase (SP), image pattern analysis, enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA), whole blood count (WBC) count, microscopy and visual observation. IL-18 was detected in the uteri of all pregnant rats, and mainly distributed in the endometrium, decidual cells, vascular endothelium and myometrium. Immunohistochemistry and image pattern analyses revealed significantly lower IL-18 expression in the H-IFN-${\gamma}$ group compared to the L-IFN-${\gamma}$ and control groups (p<0.01), indicating that high doses of IFN-${\gamma}$ induce downregulation of IL-18 in the uterus of pregnant rats. ELISA results disclosed that IL-18 expression in peripheral blood of the H-IFN-${\gamma}$ group was lower than that of the L-IFN-${\gamma}$ group (p<0.05), and significantly reduced compared to the control group (p<0.01). Moreover, the number of peripheral leukocytes in the H-IFN-${\gamma}$ group was significantly higher than those in the control and L-IFN-${\gamma}$ groups (p<0.01). Morphology analysis showed no evident differences between the L-IFN-${\gamma}$ and control groups. However, for the H-IFN-${\gamma}$ group, uterine mucosa bleeding, necrosis and excoriation were observed using microscopy. Visual observation revealed marroon, swelling, crassitude and no embryo in the uterus, which are obvious indicators of abortion. These results indicate that IFN-${\gamma}$ plays a regulatory role in IL-18 expression in the uterus and peripheral blood of pregnant rats at the post-implantation stage. Moreover, high levels (500 IU/g) of IFN-${\gamma}$ influence normal pregnancy at the early stages in rats by downregulating IL-18 expression in the uterus and peripheral blood and increasing the number of peripheral leukocytes, consequently triggering termination of pregnancy.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 1996

Activation of $K^+$ channels induces relaxation of smooth muscles by reducing electrical excitability and cytosolic free $Ca^{2+}$ level. ${\beta}$-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol is known to induce relaxation of the uterine smooth muscle by membrane hyperpolarization and $K^+$ efflux. Recently it is suggested that the activity of $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channel was increased by isoproterenol in the uterine myocytes isolated from myometrium of the pregnant rat. However, the type of $K^+$ channel mediating the relaxant effect of isopreterenol in the tissue level has not yet studied. In this work, we investigated the type of $K^+$ channels involved in the isoproterenol-induced relaxation of uterine smooth muscle by measuring the integrated insometric tension of the estrogen-treated isolated nonpregnant rat uterus. Contraction of uterine tissue was induced by oxytocin (0.2nM, 2~3 contractions/min) or high KCl(20~80mM). The result are as follows : 1. Isoproterenol($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-4}M$) inhibited oxytocin-induced contraction of isolated rat uterus($EC_{50}=1.17{\times}10^{-10}M$). 2. Isoproterenol($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-4}M$) effectively inhibited uterine contraction induced by low KCl(20~40mM) but little those induced by high KCl(60~80mM). 3. Relaxant effect of isoproterenol($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-4}M$) on 0.2nM oxytocin-induced contraction was effectively reduced by 4-aminopyridine(3, 10mM) but little by TEA(10~30mM), $Ba^{2+}$($1{\sim}30{\mu}M$) and glibenclamide($100{\mu}M$). Our data suggest that the relaxant effect of isoproterenol is mediated by the $K^+$ channel(s) which can be blocked by 4-aminopyridine.