• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 1993

Plasminogen activator (PA)-plasmin system in follicular fluid is involved in the process leading to follicular rupture at ovulation. It is well known that PA is closely associated with cellular differentiation and tissue remodeling on evidences from the study of normal and malignant tissues. This study was designed to ascertain a potential role of PA in the ovarian folliculogenesis. Immature Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin, followed by injection of serine protease inhibitor (SPI; mixture of 1 mol/L benzamidine and 1 mol/L amino-caproic acid) into the unilateral ovarian bursa. In the control study, mechanical effect of bursal injection and contralateral ovarian effect SPI were ruled out. Total antral follicular areas relative to total ovarian cross-sectional areas was siginificantly lower in SPI-injected ovary than in saline-injected ovary. SPI injection decreased the relative antral follicular area by 33 % respectively. Electron microscopic finding of granulosa cell in the atretic follicle showed the presence of pyknotic nucleus, blurring of neucleolemma, degeneration of mitochondria and dilation of endoplasmic reticulum. After induction of ovulation with hCG, the number of oocytes released was significantly decreased in SPI-injected oviduct than in saline-injected oviduct. From above results, author discussed that PA may play a role not only in ovulation but also in some processes of folliculogenesis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.394-400
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• 1991

A question whether abnormal responsiveness of hypothalamic catecholaminergic nervous system to ovarian steoid hormones in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) exist was investigated. Four groups of experimental animals were prepared for SHR and normotensive Wistar rats (NW) respectively: 1) intact, 2) ovariectomized (OVX+V), 3) ovariectomized and estrogen treated (OVX+E), 4) ovariectomized and estrogen plus progesterone treated (OVX+E+P) groups. Hypothalami from experimental animals were dissected out and used for determination of .alpha.-adrenergic receptor binding characteristics and catecholamine contents. Norepinephrine(NE) content and B$_{max}$ of $\alpha_1$-adrenergic receptors in hypothalami were greater in intact SHR than in intact NW, but dopamine(DA) content was lower in SHR than in NW. Neither contents of NE and DA nor binding characteristics of $\alpha_1$-adrenergic receptors were different in OVX+V and OVX+E group from intact group of both SHR and NW. Kd and B$_{max}$ of $\alpha_1$-adrenergic receptors in OVX+E+P was lower than that in intact SHR but not in NW. DA content was lower in OVX+E+P than in intact group of SHR and NW. The result of the present study indicates that there is an abnormal responsiveness of hypothalamic catecholaminergic nervous system to ovarian steroid hormones in SHR which may be one of genetically-determined factors probably not responsible for the development of hypertension.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2014

Beta-catenin (CTNNB1, catenin (cadherin-associated protein), beta 1) is involved in various biological processes, including embryogenesis, tumorigenesis, angiogenesis and progression of metastasis. CTNNB1, as a multifunctional and oncogenic protein, has important roles in adhesion between Sertoli cells through an N-cadherin-dependent manner and in various cancer types through its over-activation. In addition, CTNNB1 can interact with estrogen/estrogen receptor alpha complex, which regulates the transcription of WNT (wingless-type MMTV integration site family)/CTNNB1 target genes. Recently, we investigated the functional roles and expression pattern of CTNNB1 during the morphological changes of embryonic gonads of chickens and the estrogen-dependent regulation of CTNNB1 in oviduct development and potential functions as a biomarker of CTNNB1 in human epithelial ovarian cancer using the chicken as a biological research model. Therefore, in this review, we provide a new insight of potential role of CTNNB1 in the development of the female reproductive tract during early embryogenesis and ovarian carcinogenesis of laying hen models.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.173-183
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• 2021

The incidence of infertility among individuals of reproductive age has been growing due to genetic and environmental factors, and considerable research efforts are focused on solving this issue. Ovarian development is an overly complex process in the body, involving the interaction between primordial germ cells and gonad somatic cells. However, follicles located in the center of the in vitro ovary are poorly formed owing to ovarian complexity, nutrient deficiency, and signaling deficiency. In the present study, we optimized methods for dissociating gonads and culture conditions for the in vitro generation of miniaturized ovaries. The gonads from embryos were dissociated into cell masses and cultured on a Transwell-COL membrane for 3-5 weeks. Approximately 12 follicles were present per in vitro ovary. We observed that miniaturized ovaries successfully matured to MII oocytes in vitro from 150 to 100 ㎛ gonad masses. This method will be useful for investigating follicle development and oocyte production.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.139-148
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• 2007

• The Zoological Society Korea : Newsletter
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.102.1-102
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• 1995

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1995.10b
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• pp.230.1-230
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• 1995

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1999.04a
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• pp.60.1-60
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• 1999

No Abstract, See Full Text

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1997.06a
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• pp.14-15
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• 1997

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.71-79
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• 1985

Systemic extrogen therapy promotes multiple preantral follicular development in immature mice. Estrogen pretreated ovaries might therefore be a useful source of cells for in vitro studies of oocytes maturation. Silastic capsules (5.0 mm length; 3.18 mm outer diameter, 1.57 mm inner diameter) filled with diethylstilbesterol were implanted subcutaneously in experimental mice (ICR) for up to 6 days. Ovarian weight and histology in diethylstilbesterol pretreated and control animal were assessed before and after pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin treatment and after human chorionic gonadotrophin. The following results were obtained; 1. Ovarian weight was significantly increased by 6 days of diethylstilbesterol pretreatment. Subsequent ovarian weight gain in response to pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin and human chorionic gonadotrophin was increased. 2. Diethylstilnbesterol pretreatment stimulated the developed healthy preantral follicles. 3. Forty eight hours after pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin treatment, a larger number of the antral follicles which developed in diethylstilbesterol pretreated animals showed signs of atresia, whereas in the control ovaries there was a higher incidence of premature luteinization. 4. Forty eight hours after human chorionic gonadotrophin, numerous corpora lutea and occasional luteinized unruptured follicles were present in both control and diethylstilbesterol ovaries. 5. Ovulation rate, fertilization rate and subsequent preimplantation development in vitro were not adversely affected by diethylstilbesterol pretreatment. However, there was considerable variation in the ovulation rate the number of animals with more than 60 ovulations was greater in the diethylstilbesterol gorup (52.4%) as compared to the control (33.3%).