• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.766-777
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• 2021

Bezafibrate, a fibrate drug used as a lipid-lowering agent to treat hyperlipidemia, is a pan-agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha. It can enhance mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, and mitochondrial biogenesis. After ovulation, oocytes may get arrested at the metaphase II (MII) stage until fertilization beyond optimal timing, which is termed as post-ovulatory aging. Post-ovulatory aging is a disease that degrades DNA, mitochondria, and oxidative system, and has a negative impact on embryo development and quality; however, the impact of bezafibrate during post-ovulatory aging has not been fully defined. In the present study, we assessed the ability of bezafibrate to prevent the progression of aging in in vitro conditions as well as the underlying mechanisms in pigs. An appropriate concentration of this drug (50 µM) was added, and then oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species downstream, mitochondrial biogenesis, and mitochondrial function were analyzed via immunofluorescence staining and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Bezafibrate significantly alleviated reactive oxygen species and ameliorated glutathione production simultaneously in oocytes and embryos. Moreover, it diminished H2A.X and attenuated CASPASE 3 expression produced by oxidative stress in oocytes and embryos. Furthermore, bezafibrate remarkably improved the mitochondrial function and blastocyst quality as well as markedly reduced the mitochondria/TOM20 ratio and mtDNA copy number. The elevated PARKIN level indicated that mitophagy was induced by bezafibrate treatment after post-ovulatory aging. Collectively, these results suggest that bezafibrate beneficially affects against porcine post-ovulatory oocyte aging in porcine by its antioxidant property and mitochondrial protection.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2009

This study was conducted to establish the optimal suspension culture system for both the propagation of embryogenic cells (ECs) and the induction of somatic embryos (SEs) of Kalopanax septemlobus. The proliferation rate of ECs was reduced as the inoculum density was increased; the highest rate was obtained when 0.1 g/100 ml of cells was initially inoculated. According to the analysis of cell growth pattern and cell growth cycle (G1, Sand G2/M), the cell growth started in 5 days culture initiation, grew rapidly until 15 days and then decreased gradually. Distinctive changes of the cell growth cycle by the culture periods was also observed; the growth cycle was doubled from initial 5.6% to 11.7% of S stage in 5 days culture and then reached in stable stages again. Therefore, the results indicated that a 15-day-cycle was the optimal culture period for the propagation of the ECs through the suspension culture. Furthermore, the cell inoculum density was also important for the induction of SE; more than 65% of SEs at the torpedo stage was induced by using the low level of cell inoculum (0.5 g/L), while the higher inoculum densities were rapidly reduced the proportion of SEs at that stage. Although the higher inoculum density delayed the development of SE, it did not affect the proportion of SEs at the globular and heart stage. In conclusion, this study showed that the suspension culture of the Kalopanax septemlobus ECs through the control of inoculum density was an efficient way for both the propagation of ECs and the induction of SEs, suggesting that the development of this system might help to reduce the culture period for the somatic embryo production.

• Plant Resources
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.29-44
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• 2002

In this study, plant regeneration through in vitro culture from plantlet stems of Yooja (C. junos Sieb.) and trifoliate orange (P. trifoliata Rafin.) was attempted to make mass-production system of virus-free plants having the same genotype with mother plant. In order to investigate physiological change depending on the developmental stage of plant regeneration, the changes of total protein, peroxidase and esterase activity and their isozyme patterns as well were examined in 1/2 MS medium. The results are as follows : 1. The MS medium for the optimal callus induction and shoot formation was utilized. The medium was supplemented either with 2,4-D and Kinetin or with BA and NAA. The optimal concentrations were the combination of 1.0mg/ 2,4-D +0.3mg/ Kinetin and 1.0mg BA +0.3mg NAA in callus induction and shoot formation, respectively. 2. For the plant regeneration from somatic embryos, 1/2 MS medium was used with supplements of growth regulators (free, 1.0mg/ IBA +1.0mg/ BA ,0.5mg/ IBA +0.5mg/ BA). Shooting and rooting were the best in the treatment of 0.5mg/ IBA and 0.5mg/ BA combination. 3. The total protein content has a tendency of increase with the developmental stage of embryo, but it was decreased at the plantlet. Also it was the highest at 8 and 6 weeks stage in C. junos Sieb. and P. trioliata Rafin, respectively. In the SDS-PAGE pattern of protein, C. junos Sieb. showed bands of 29.0 and 40kDa at 10 weeks. The 45,66 and 97.4 kDa bands at 10 weeks of culture were shown in P. trifoliata Rafin. 4. The highest esterase activity was shown at the 6 and 8 weeks of culture in C.junos Sieb. and P. trifoliata Rafin.., respectively. 5. Esterase isozyme patterns were shown difference according to the developmental stage. In C. junos Sieb. a new band was observed at pl 7.7 following 4 weeks culture. On the other hand, new bands in P. trifoliata Rafin. were observed at pl 7.5~6.5 following 4 and 6 weeks culture, respectively.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2004

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst-stage embryos that can be propagated indefinitely and, at the same time, can be differentiated into all the cell types that constitute the body. Current research using ES cells is mainly focused on the efficient generation of specific cell types by employing optimal differentiation conditions, which often requires the genetic manipulation of ES cells. As a way of developing an efficient system to regulate foreign gene expression in ES cells, we have inserted the gene encoding Corynebacterium diphtheria toxin-A (DTA) into an autonomously induced plasmid under positive doxycycline control ('Tet-on' system). In this study, we demonstrate that this system can lead to the cell death of mouse ES cells by the induction of DTA expression when exposed to the tetracycline derivative, doxycycline. MTT assay showed that this induction resulted in the apoptosis of ES cells.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 1991

Bovine in vitro fertilization experiment was carried out using ovary-derived follicular oocytes and frozen-thawed spermatozoa to determine the optimal preincubation time of spermatozoa and the insemination time for successful in vitro fertilization rate. The possibility of parthenogenetic cell division of unfertilized oocytes during culture without spermatozoa was also examined. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in percent ratio of embryos developed to blastocyst stage between 0 and 3 h preincubation times of spermatozoa, showing a tendency to have higher percentage for 0 h of preincubation time. The 6 h insemination time seemed to be better for producing higher percentage of ova cleavage compared with those of 1 and 3 h treatments. Approximately 10% of unfertilized oocytes divided into 2 to 4-cell stage, and some of them cleaved to 5 up to 8-cells. The results obtained from this study suggested that 0 h of sperm preincubation time and 6 h of insemination time would be suitable for producing better in vitro fertilization rate of bovine oocytes. It is also likely that unfertilized bovine oocytes probably cleave to some cell stages with irregular divisions of the cells. On the one hand, considerable variation was also found in spermatozoa function among individual bulls.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2008

Production of transgenic animals for studying specific gene has been limited due to a low efficiency, lack of skilled researchers and the need for expensive equipment. Currently, the boar spermatozoa as a vector to deliver exogenous DNA into the oocyte were used to improve the efficiency of transfection rate. In this study, we revealed that the optimal conditions for DNA uptake in spermatozoa by liposome were to 90 min of incubation, $17^{\circ}C$, $10^5$ spermatozoa, 4 ng/ml of exogenous DNA and 0.5% (v/v) liposome, without damage to fertility. In addition, the developmental rate to the blastocyst stage of embryo in control group was significantly higher than those embryos with exogenous DNA and liposome, whereas there were no significant differences in embryo development between the liposome and type of DNA. The transfection rates of embryo using treated spermatozoa with both liposome and circular DNA were higher than those using linear DNA. These findings raise the possibility thattreated spermatozoa with liposome/DNA complexes could be used in in vitro fertilization, and the exogenous DNA transferred into the oocytes. Taken together, we demonstrated that liposome a vector for the uptake of exogenous DNA in boar spermatozoa could improve the efficiency of sperm-mediated gene transfer in creating transgenic pig and the other domestic transgenic animals.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 1996

This study was carried out to determine the optimal condition for successful and efficient c cryopreservation of zygotes, 1-cell embryos, using EFS40 which was 40% (v/v) ethylene glycol diluted in DPBS medium containing 30% Fic-oll (w/v) and 0.3 M sucrose. After mouse zygote produced by IVF was vitrified by two freezing methods, the post-warming survival rates of 1-cell zygotes were assessed as cleavage to the 2-cell stage and development into the hatching blastocysts at 5 day. In the one-step method, when embryos were directly exposed to the vitrification solution at 25$^{\circ}C$ for 1 min., survival and development rates of zygotes were 85.5% and 31.9% In the two-step method, embryos were equilibrated with a dilute 20% EG for 1, 3, 5 min. before 1 min. exposure to EFS40, re-spectively. However, the rates of development (17.7, 3.3, 0%) were lower than that of one-step method. The highest survival rate (95.9%) was obtained by one-step method which exposes embryos in EFS40 for 30 sec. In this condition, 63. 8% of cleaved 2-cell developed into hatching blastocysts. In the cell number of Total and ICM using differential labelling technique, there are no significant differences in the cell number of Total and ICM between blastocysts devel oped in vitrified-thawed embryos (63.2${\pm}$16.9, 1 13.5${\pm}$4.0) and control balstocysts (54.0${\pm}$15.2, 1 12.3${\pm}$4.6). Therefore, these results show that mouse zygotes can be successfully cryopreserved by a simple vitrification method although developmental rates of vitrified embryos were reduced. In conclusion, this proposed vitrifi cation procedures can be useful in the cryopreservation of mouse IVF zygotes.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 2000

This study was conducted to establish the optimal conditions for in vitro embryo production using oocytes derived from follicles of slaughter-house ovaries. The ovaries of Hanwoo were obtained from a local slaughter-house. The oocytes were aspirated from visible follicles of 2~7mm in diameter. The recovered oocytes which were completely surrounded by at least 2 layers of cumulus cells and a homogeneous cytoplasmic pigmentation were used. The selected oocytes were washed 3 or 4 times with D-PBS containing 10% bovine calf serum (BCS) and matured in vitor (IVM) in Ham's F-10 supplemented with 10% BCS or 0.01 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml epidermal growth factor(EGF) at 39$^{\circ}C$ under 5% CO2 in air for 24 hours. They were fertilizqed in vitro (IVF) with fresh sperm separated by Percoll density gradient or swim-up in TALP media. The zygotes were cultrued with or without bovine oviductal epitherial cells(BOEC) in media(HECM-6 supplemented with 11 amino acid and / or TCM-199 supplemented with 10% BCS) for 7 to 10 days. The results obtained were as follow: The cleavage rate and developmental rate to blastocyst after maturation and IVF were not significantly different between Ham's F-10 with EGF(76.0% vs. 44.0%) and BCS(75.9% vs. 43.6%)(P<0.05). The cleavage rate and development rate to blastocyst after fertilizing by swim-up or Percoll method were not signifciantly(P<0.05) different between swim-up (80.2% vs. 29.2%) and Percoll(81.9% vs. 26.5%) (P<0.05). The cleavage rate in TCM 199(80.5) was signficiantly higher than that in HECM-6 (72.0%) (P<0.05). However, developmental rate to blastocyst using TCM 199 following HECM-6 for 3 or 4 days (42.2%) was significantly higher than that in TCM-199 alone(26.7%)(P<0.05). The cleavage rate and development rate of embryos produced in vitro by exchange timing for HECM-6 media were not significantly different between in day 3(78.6% vs. 45.5%) and day 4(75.0% vs. 43.2%)(P<0.05). The cleavage rate and developmental rate to blastocysts according to co-culture system were not significantly different between with (74.2% vs. 41.4%) and without BOEC(73.95 vs. 43.5%) (P<0.05). The number of blastomere in blastocyst stage after co-culture with or without BOEC was not significantly different (106.7$\pm$5.1 and 96.6$\pm$4.0). In conclusion, the most transferable IVP embryos could be produced from Ham's F-10 medium for IVM, Percoll density gradient method for IVF sperm separation and in vitro culture in HECM-6 until day 3 or day 4, and then transferred into TCM-199 until day 9 within adequate embryo density in culture droplets after insemination.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.197-205
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• 2013

This study established a method for preserving chicken primordial germ cells (PGCs) that enables long-term storage in liquid nitrogen ($LN_2$) for preservation of the species. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of Ethylene Glycol (EG) and Propylene Glycol (PG) on viability of cryopreserved PGCs with vitrification in Korean Native Chicken (Ogye), and to fine should be find or to the optimal protocol for PGCs freezing. One of the important components of cryopreservation process is cryopreservation medium that plays a vital role in preventing cellular injury during freeze-thawing. Cryoprotective agents have been known to improve cell viability after freeze-thawing. PGCs obtained from the germinal gonade of 5.5~6 day (stage 28) chick embryos, using the MACS method were suspended in a freezing medium containing a freezing and protecting agents. Gonads were harvested from stage 28 chick embryos and pooled in groups of 10E embryos, contributing gonads to the cell suspension. The gonadal cells, including PGCs, were then frozen in 1 of the following cryoprotectant treatments: 2.5% EG, 5% EG, 10% EG, 2.5% PG, 5% PG, 10% PG, and 0% cryoprotectant as a control. Effects of exposure to vitrification solution and vitrification, with different concentrations of the cryoprotectant solution, were examined. After freezing and thawing, survival rates of the frozen-thawed PGCs from the 0, 2.5, 5, 10 and 15% EG plus FBS treatment were 44.24%, 64.51%, 85.63%, 80.51% and 73.52% (p<0.05), respectively. The viability of PGCs after freeze-thawing was significantly higher for 10% EG plus FBS treatment than for 10% PG + FBS treatment (p<0.05)(85.63% vs 66.81%). Therefore, these systems may contribute in the improvement of cryopreservation for a scarce species in birds preservation. This study established a method for preserving chicken PGC that enables systematic storage and labeling of cryopreserved PGCs in liquid N at a germplasm repository and ease of entry into a database. In the future, the importance for this new technology is that poultry lines can be conserved while work is being conducted on improving the production of germline chimeras.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.124-134
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• 1995

It is the most important to select optimal culture conditions to promote safe embryo growth in the technique of human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. It has been shown that the addition of biologic fluids, such as blood serum, of various origins, improved fertilization and early cleavage rates in numerous species. The purpose of this study is to attempt to measure developmental potential of mouse eggs fertilized and cleaved in Ham's F10 culture medium containing a chelating agent, EDTA and fetal cord serum. In this study, we selected 40 female mice and 20 male mice, and investigated optimal serum concentrations for mouse embryo growth. Two cell stage mouse embryos were cultured in Ham's F-10 medium, Ham's F-10 medium with various concentrations of EDTA, or Ham's F-10 medium with EDTA and 10% human cord serum. Developmental ratios to morula in Ham's F-10 medium containing various concentrations of EDTA and/or 10% fetal cord serum were significantly higher than in unsupplemented Ham's F-10 medium (p<0.05). Developmental ratios to blastocyst in Ham's F-10 containing 10% fetal cord serum and $50{\mu}M$ or $100{\mu}M$ EDTA were significanltly higher than in unsupplemented Ham's F-10 medium (p<0.05). Developmental ratios to morula in Ham's F-10 containing 10% fetal cord serum and $100{\mu}M$ EDTA were significanltly higher than in Ham's F-10 with 10% fetal cord serum used commonly in many human IVF centers(p<0.05). Developmental ratio to blastocyst in Ham's F-10 containing 10% fetal cord serum and $100{\mu}M$ EDTA was significanlty higher than in Ham's F-10 with $200{\mu}M$ EDTA(P<0.05). In summary, embryo development to morula and blastocyst was significanlty higher in the presence of human cord serum or EDTA than in the unsupplemented medium. The most significanly development to morula and blastocyst was obtained at Ham's F-10 medium with $100{\mu}M$ concentration of EDTA and 10% fetal cord serum. These results suggest that Ham's F-10 medium containing 10% fetal cord serum and optimal concentrations of EDTA significantly promoted early cleavage of mouse zygotes, and these will be useful as basic data for the selection of culture medium in human in vitro fertilization.