• Title/Summary/Keyword: physiology

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Present status and prospect for development of mushrooms in Korea

  • Jang, Kab-Yeul;Oh, Youn-Lee;Oh, Minji;Im, Ji-Hoon;Lee, Seul-Ki;Kong, Won-Sik
    • 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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    • 2018.05a
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    • pp.27-27
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    • 2018
  • The production scale of mushroom cultivation in Korea is approximately 600 billion won, which is 1.6% of the Korean gross agricultural output. Annually, ca. 190,000 tons of mushrooms are harvested in Korea. Although the numbers of mushroom farms and cultivators are constantly decreasing, the total mushroom yields are increasing due to the large-scale cultivation facilities and automation. The recent expansion of the well-being trend causes increase in mushroom consumption in Korea: annual per capita consumption of mushroom was 3.9kg ('13) that is a little higher than European's average. Thus the exports of mushrooms, mainly Flammulina velutipes and Pleurotus ostreatus, have been increased since the middle of 2000s. Recently, however, it is slightly reduced. However, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the United States, the Netherlands and continued to export, and the country has increased recently been exported to Australia, Canada, Southeast Asia and so on. Canned foods of Agaricus bisporus was the first exports of the Korean mushroom industry. This business has reached the peak of the sale in 1977-1978. As Korea initiated trade with China in 1980, the international prices of mushrooms were sharply fall that led to shrink the domestic markets. According to the high demand to develop new items to substitute for A. bisporus, oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) was received the attention since it seems to suit the taste of Korean consumers. Although log cultivation technique was developed in the early 1970s for oyster mushroom, this method requires a great deal of labor. Thus we developed shelf cultivation technique which is easier to manage and allows the mass production. In this technique, the growing shelf is manly made from fermented rice straw, that is the unique P. ostreatus medium in the world, was used only in South Korea. After then, the use of cotton wastes as an additional material of medium, the productivity. Currently it is developing a standard cultivation techniques and environmental control system that can stably produce mushrooms throughout the year. The increase of oyster mushroom production may activate the domestic market and contribute to the industrial development. In addition, oyster mushroom production technology has a role in forming the basis of the development of bottle cultivation. Developed mushroom cultivation technology using bottles made possible the mass production. In particular, bottle cultivation method using a liquid spawn can be an opportunity to export the F.velutipes and P.eryngii. In addition, the white varieties of F.velutipes were second developed in the world after Japan. We also developed the new A.bisporus cultivar "Sae-ah" that is easy to grown in Korea. To lead the mushroom industry, we will continue to develop the cultivars with an international competitive power and to improve the cultivation techniques. Mushroom research in Korea nowadays focuses on analysis of mushroom genetics in combination with development of new mushroom varieties, mushroom physiology and cultivation. Further studied are environmental factors for cultivation, disease control, development and utilization of mushroom substrate resources, post-harvest management and improvement of marketable traits. Finally, the RDA manages the collection, classification, identification and preservation of mushroom resources. To keep up with the increasing application of biotechnology in agricultural research the genome project of various mushrooms and the draft of the genetic map has just been completed. A broad range of future studies based on this project is anticipated. The mushroom industry in Korea continually grows and its productivity rapidly increases through the development of new mushrooms cultivars and automated plastic bottle cultivation. Consumption of medicinal mushrooms like Ganoderma lucidum and Phellinus linteus is also increasing strongly. Recently, business of edible and medicinal mushrooms was suffering under over-production and problems in distribution. Fortunately, expansion of the mushroom export helped ease the negative effects for the mushroom industry.

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A Survey of Disease Occurrence in Korean Black Goats (흑염소 사육농가의 질병발생 실태조사)

  • Choe, Chang-Yong;Kang, Da-Won;Choi, Sun-Ho;Cho, Chang-Yeon;Jung, Byeong-Yeal;Son, Jun-Kyu;Ryu, Il-Sun;Hu, Tai-Young;Jung, Young-Hun;Kang, Seog-Jin;Do, Youn-Jeong;Kim, Ui-Hyung;Park, Yong-Sang;Son, Dong-Soo
    • Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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    • v.29 no.2
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    • pp.160-164
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    • 2012
  • The goat industry has been developing for many years in Korea to meet demands for food and medicine. However, many complicated patterns of disease have arisen in goat farms as this industry has developed. In this study, disease occurrence patterns in Korean black goats were surveyed in six professional farming households in Imsil and Soonchang in the Jeonbuk province and in Hamyang and Sachon in the Gyeongnam province to understand and extend the goat disease database. We observed morbidity rates between 2.0% and 9.8% for adult goats and between 2.9% and 68.3% for kids. Kids showed a markedly higher incidence of disease when compared to adults. The rate of disease occurrence was 40.0% for floppy kid syndrome (FKS), 37.7% for diarrhea, 16.0% for respiratory disease, and 1.9% for skin disease. The observed mortality rates were 0.7% ~ 10.0%, and 2.2% ~ 24.9% for adult goats and kids, respectively. In addition, FKS, diarrhea, and respiratory disease were observed in 38.3%, 28.9%, and 10.0%, respectively, of dead goats. In conclusion, the majority of diseases in goats occur during the neonatal period, and FKS is the highest single cause of mortality in Korean black goats. Thus careful attention must be paid to kids to reduce the goat mortality rate.

Effects of clomiphene citrate on ovarian function and embryo developmental capacity in the rat (랫드에 있어서 클로미펜 시트레이트가 난소기능 및 수정란 발육성에 미치는 영향)

  • Yun, Young-won;Kwun, Jong-kuk
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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    • v.32 no.1
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    • pp.15-24
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    • 1992
  • The effects of CC the ovulatory response, oocyte normality, ovarian steroidogenesis and subsequent embryo developmental potential were examined in PMSG-treated rats. On Days of 25~27 of age, immature female Sprague Dawley rats were treated with three different doses(0.05, 0.1 or 1.0mg /day) of clomiphene citrate or vehicle. The females subsequently received 4IU PMSG on Day 28 and/or 10IU hCG on Day 30, and were killed on Day 31. Some females given 0.1mg CC or vehicle with 4IU PMSG were then mated and killed on Days 2, 3, 4 and 5 of pregnancy. Compared to vehicle(control) group, by increasing the doses of CC, there were a significant decrease in the ovulatory response as judged by both the proportion of rats ovulating and the mean number of oocytes per rat and a marked reduction of ovarian weight. The increasing doses of CC substantially promoted the degeneration(%) of oocytes ovulating in a dose-dependent manner. The CC-mediated inhibitions of the ovulatory response and ovarian weight were oompletely overcome by a subsequent treatment of hCG. Increasing doses of CC resulted in a siginificant elevation of serum estradiol with the decreased levels of progesterone and androgens. The additive treatment with hCG was effective to reduce the elevation of estradiol and to increase the reduction of progesterone produced by high dose(1.0mg) of CC. The preimplantation embryos recovered from 0.1mg CC-treated pregnant rats demonstrated a progressive early loss from Day 3 of pregnancy with a significant increase in the percentage of degeneration during all periods examined, compared to controls. The rate of progressive embryo cleavage in the CC-treated rats were slower than that in controls from Day 3 of pregnancy. Additionally, the percentage of the cleaved embryos recovered from the CC-treated rats remained significantly lower consistently from Day 2 of pregnancy, compared to control regimen. These results demonstrate a possible mechanism of CC-mediated inhibition of ovulatory response in the rats which may include the attenuation or blockade of the endogenous secretion of gonadotropins and also suggest that its detrimental effects observed on oocyte normality and embryonic development may be caused by abnormal follicular steroidogenesis( especially elevated estradiol) preceding fertilization.

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Characteristics of Seizures and Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression of Hippocampus in Hyperthermia-Induced Seizures of Developing Rat (고체온으로 경련이 유발된 경우 경련의 양상과 쥐 해마부의 Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase 발현)

  • Kim, Doo-Kwun;Jung, Dong-Keun
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.45 no.5
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    • pp.629-636
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    • 2002
  • Purpose : Our study was aimed to investigate the characteristics of seizures as well as to determine whether the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression(nNOS) of hippocampus has an affect in the hyperthermic seizure in developing rat. Methods : Hyperthermic seizures were repeatedly induced twice a week for four weeks in 20-day old Spraque-Dowley rats. Fifty two rats were used as a hyperthermic group and 30 rats used as a normothermic control group. Hyperthermic seizures were induced in a water bath at $45^{\circ}C{\pm}1$ for 4 min. The characteristics of seizures were recorded. Using western blot, hippocampal nNOS expression was measured in normothermic control, hyperthermic non-seizure, and hyperthermic seizure groups, respectively. Results : Eighty seven percent of hyperthermia exposed rats showed generalized tonic-clonic seizure most frequently. The duration of seizure was ranged from 12 to 145 sec(mean 55 sec) and the latency to seizure ranged from 158 to 240 sec(mean 204 sec). The duration of seizure was prolonged but there was no significant difference in the seizure latency as the rat exposed more number of hyperthermia. Interestingly, the expression level of hippocampal nNOS in hyperthermic seizure and hyperthermic non-seizure groups was not different from each other, however, the expression in these groups was lower than that of the control group. Conclusion : Our results indicate that nNOS do not have an affect in this repeated hyperthermic seizures. Further studies are required to clarify a role of nNOS in hyperthermic seizure.

Effects of Korean Ginseng on the Visceral Alkaline Phosphatase Activity and Blood Inorganic Phosphorus Level (인삼이 장기의 Alkaline Phosphatase활성과 혈중 무기 인량에 미치는 영향)

  • Jung, Noh-Pal
    • The Korean Journal of Physiology
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.1-11
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    • 1973
  • To study the effects of Korean ginseng on mice visceral alkaline phosphatase activity and inorganic phosphate phosphorus level in the blood, the experimental groups of male and female mice were injected subcutaneously with 0.01 ml or 0.02 ml of Tyrode solution per 10 g of body weight daily, and 0. 1 mg or 0.2 mg of alcohol extract of ginseng which was diluted with Tyrode solution. After groups of mice were treated for 7 days or 14 days, the alkaline phosphatase activity in the jejunum, kidney and liver homogenate and serum were determined with sodium ${\beta}-glycerophophosphate$ as substrate, and quantified the content of inorganic phosphate phosphorus in the blood of above mice. 1. Alkaline phosphatase activity in the jejunum, kidney, liver and serum of male mice for the 7 day treatment with ginseng extract (0.1 mg/10 g) was increased by 15.28%, 12.86%, lg.05% and 11.70% respectively, compared with Tyrode solution group. 2. Alkaline phosphatase activity in the jejunum, kidney, liver and serum of female mice for the 7 day treatment with ginseng extract (0.2 mg/10 g) was increased 3.46%, 6.94%, 20.37% and 4.05 % respectively. 3. Alkaline phosphatase activity in the jejunum, kidney, liver and serum of male mice for the 14 day treatment with ginseng extract(0.1 mg/10 g) was increased·15.92%, 19.76f, 10.16% and -1.63 % respectively. 4. Alkaline phosphatase activity in the jejunum, kidney, liver and serum of female mice for the 14 day treatment with ginseng extract(0.2 mg/10 g) was increased 18.89%, 24.55%, 16.97% and 27.59% respectively. 5. Increasing activity of the enzyme in the liver of both male and female mice for the 7 day treatment was declined to some extent at the 14 day treatment, on the other hand, increasing activity of the enzyme in the jejunum, kidney and serum of mice for the 7 day treatment was more promoted at the 14 day treatment. 6. The 7 day and 14 day treatment with ginseng extract increased 20.20% and 20.96% of inorganic phosphate phosphorus in male blood, 22.38% and 17.57f in female blood respectively. In accordance with the results mutual relationships of ginseng, internal secretion, nucleic acid and alkaline phosphatase activity were disscussed.

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Reproductive Cycle of Small Filefish, Rudarius ercodes (그물코쥐치, Rudarius ercodes의 생식주기)

  • LEE Taek Yuil;HANYU Isao
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.17 no.5
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    • pp.423-435
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    • 1984
  • The reproductive cycle of the small filefish, Rudarius ercodes was investigated based on the annual variations of gonadosomatic index(GSI) and hepatosomatic index(HSI) by electronic and photic microscophy. The specimens used were collected at the coastal area of Benden island, Sizuokagen, Japan, from September 1982 to August 1983. GSI began to increase from March, starting season of longer daylength and higher water temperature, and reached the maximum value between June and August. It began to decrease from September with the lowest value appearing between November and February without any evident variation. The annual variations of HSI were not distinct in male filefish and were negatively related to GSI in female : HSI decreased in the summer season when the ovary was getting mature and reached the maximum in the winter season when the ovary was getting retrogressive. The ovary consisted of a pair of saccular structure with numerous ovarian sacs branched toward the median cavity. Oogonia divided and proliferated along the germinal epithelium of the ovarian sac. Young oocytes with basophile cytoplasm showed several scattering nucleoli along the nuclear membrane. when the oocytes growing to about 300 ${\mu}m$, nuclear membrane to disappear with nucleus migrating toward the animal pole. The regions of protoplasm were extremely confined within the animal hemisphere in which most of cytoplasms were filled with yolk materials and oil drops. After ovulation, residual follicles and growing oocytes remaining in the ovarian sacs degenerated. But perinucleatic young oocytes without follicles formed were not degenerated, and growing continuously still in the next year. Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticula in the cytoplasm remarkably increased with oocytes maturing and yolk accumulating. Those were considered to be functionally related to the yolk accumulation. Five or six layers of possible vitellogenin, oval-shaped disc structures with high electron density, appeared in the apex of follicular processes stretching to the microvilli pits of mature oocytes. Testis consisting of a pair of lobular structures in the right and left were united in the posterior seminal vesicle, Cortex of testis was composed of several seminiferous tubules, and medulla consisting of many sperm ducts connected with tubules. Steroid hormone-secreting cells with numerous endoplasmic reticula and large mitochondria of well developed cristae were recognized in the interstitial cells of the growing testis. Axial filament of spermatozoon invaginated deeply in the central cavity of the nucleus and the head formed U-shape with acrosome severely lacking, mitochondria formed large globular paranuclei at the posterior head, and microtubular axoneme of the tail represented 9+9+2 type. The annual reproductive cycles could be divided into five successive stages : growth(March to July), maturation(May to September), Spawning(mid May to early October) and resting stages(October to February). The spawning peak occurred from June to August.

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Effect of Fish Oil Diet on Blood Pressure and Lipid Metabolism in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat -Changes in Serum Lipid Status- (어유식이가 본태성고혈압쥐(SHR)혈압 및 지질대사에 미치는 영향 -혈청지질상태를 중심으로-)

  • Shin, Eung-Nam;Bae, Bok-Seon;Lee, Won-Jong;Cho, Sung-Hee
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.1-13
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    • 1989
  • The present study was designed to examine the effect of dietary fish oil on blood pressure and lipid status of serum. Weanling SHRs and normotensive Wistars were fed a diet containing 5%(w/w) mackerel oil(MO), soybean oil(SO) or beef tallow(BT) for 8 weeks. Growth rate was not significantly different among three dietary groups, but that of SHRs was silightly lower than that of Wistars. SHRs showed higher systolic blood pressure than Wistar rats from the beginning and become hypertensive (over 150mmHg) after 6 week s of feeding period. The MO group of SHRs showed the lowest blood pressure at the 8th week of feeding period but that of Wistars showed similar values with other groups. Tissue weights of liver, heart and kidney were not different amongdietary aroups in Wistars and SHRs. However, heart and kidney weights of SHRs were significantly higher than those of Wistars. Microscopic examination revealed that endomysium of heart tissue and urinary space of kidney were narrowed in SHRs. Serum total and HDL-cholesterol showed similar values among three different dietary fat groups but triglyceride levels were significantly low in MO groups. HDL-cholesterol levels of SHRs were lower than those of Wistars, as well as the fractions of total HDL, the sum of HDL and $HDL_{2+3}$, while VLDL fractions were higher in SHRs. MO groups had the lower values of $HDL_1,\;HDL_{2+3}$ratio than SO and BT groups. Major dietary fatty acids were more or less incorporated into serum phospholipid and triglyceride, resulting in the characteristic fatty acid profile of each dietary group. Incorporation of $C_{18:2}({\omega}_6)$ in SO groups were pronounced, but the degree of incorporation was lower in SHRs. In Mo groups, $C_{22:6}({\omega}_3)$ levels were inreased in triglyceride. It is suggested that these changes in serum lipid fatty acid composition are related to the different patterns of serum lipid by alteration of dietary fats.

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Diagnosis of Seed Quality for Korean White Pine by Soft X-Ray Photographs (연(軟) X-선(線) 사진(寫眞)에 의(依)한 잣나무 종자(種子)의 품질진단(品質診斷))

  • Min, Kyung Hyun
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.23 no.1
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    • pp.1-8
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    • 1974
  • The seed quality testing for Korean white pine (Pinus koraiensis), their pre-germination and embryo growing process were investigated and the abnormal embryo groups were discriminated by the use of soft X-ray photograph. The study results were as follows ; 1. The embryo reflection was clearly observed for air dried seeds (moisture content was 6.3%) at 30 sec, stratificated seeds at 60 sec (moisture content 24.0-36.0%) and immature seed (moisture content 41.0-64.0%) at 90sec., then the photographing variation for soft X-ray was the radiographing distance at 42cm focus M, voltage 19.5 K.V.P. and Ampere 8 mA. By the above result, the radiographing time for discriminating the embryo reflection was increased by the increase of moisture content in the seeds. 2. The embryo reflection could be clearly observed from the last ten days of June and the embryo length ratio to endosperm length was growing to 65% at the first ten days of September. By the result obtained the soft X-ray photograph was thought to be effective method for the study of inner morphology of seeds. 3. The clear reflection seeds for embryo and endorsperm were observed to 69.7% and the seeds were practically germinated to 75.2% The difference in number between the discriminated seeds by the soft X-ray photograph and the practically germinated seeds was only 6%. According to this results, the soft X-ray photograph was thought to be a effective methods for the germination diagnosis in the shortest time and with the exactness comparatively. 4. Because of the possibility of clearness for observation of pre-germination process, the soft X-ray photograph could be used for the study on the physiology of seed germination. 5. The frequency of abnormal embryos was observed of total 4.4% and their types and subtypes could be classified into twenty groups. Among these groups, single abnormal embryo type was divided into eight subtypes and observed of 2.0 percent, twin embryo was six subtypes and 1.8 percent, triple embryo was five subtypes and 0.5 percent, and inverse type was 0.12 percent.

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SCIATIC NERVE REGENERATION USING CALCIUM PHOSPHATE COATED CONDUIT AND BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR GENE-TRANSFECTED SCHWANN CELL IN RAT (인회석 박막 피복 도관과 Brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) 유전자 이입 슈반세포를 이용한 백서 좌골신경 재생에 관한 연구)

  • Choi, Won-Jae;Ahn, Kang-Min;Hwang, Soon-Jeong;Choung, Pill-Hoon;Kim, Myung-Jin;Kim, Nam-Yeol;Yoo, Sang-Bae;Jahng, Jeong-Won;Kim, Hyun-Man;Kim, Joong-Soo;Kim, Yun-Hee;Kim, Soung-Min;Lee, Jong-Ho
    • Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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    • v.31 no.3
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    • pp.199-218
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    • 2005
  • Purpose of Study: Peripheral nerve regeneration depends on neurotrophism of distal nerve stump, recovery potential of neuron, supporting cell like Schwann cell and neurotrophic factors such as BDNF. Peripheral nerve regeneration can be enhanced by the conduit which connects the both sides of transected nerve. The conduit maintains the effects of neurotrophism and BDNF produced by Schwann cells which can be made by gene therapy. In this study, we tried to enhance the peripheral nerve regeneration by using calcium phosphate coated porous conduit and BDNF-Adenovirus infected Schwann cells in sciatic nerve of rats. Materials and Methods: Microporous filter which permits the tissue fluid essential for nerve regeneration and does not permit infiltration of fibroblasts, was made into 2mm diameter and 17mm length conduit. Then it was coated with calcium phosphate to improve the Schwann cell adhesion and survival. The coated filter was evaluated by SEM examination and MTT assay. For effective allogenic Schwann cell culture, dorsal root ganglia of 1-day old rat were extracted and treated with enzyme and antimitotic Ara-C. Human BDNF cDNA was obtained from cDNA library and amplified using PCR. BDNF gene was inserted into adenovirus shuttle vector pAACCMVpARS in which E1 was deleted. We infected the BDNF-Ad into 293 human mammary kidney cell-line and obtained the virus plaque 2 days later. RT-PCR was performed to evaluate the secretion of BDNF in infected Schwann cells. To determine the most optimal m.o.i of BDNF-Ad, we infected the Schwann cells with LacZ adenovirus in 1, 20, 50, 75, 100, 250 m.o.i for 2 hours and stained with ${\beta}$-galactosidase. Rats(n=24) weighing around 300g were used. Total 14mm sciatic nerve defect was made and connected with calcium phosphate coated conduits. Schwann cells$(1{\times}10^6)$ or BDNF-Ad infected Schwann cells$(1{\times}10^6)$ were injected in conduit and only media(MEM) was injected in control group. Twelve weeks after surgery, degree of nerve regeneration was evaluated with gait analysis, electrophysiologic measurements and histomorphometric analysis. Results: 1. Microporous Millipore filter was effective conduit which permitted the adhesion of Schwann cells and inhibited the adhesion of fibroblast. We could enhance the Schwann cell adhesion and survival by coating Millipore filter with calcium phosphate. 2. Schwann cell culture technique using repeated treatment of Ara-C and GDNF was established. The mean number of Schwann cells obtained 1 and 2 weeks after the culture were $1.54{\pm}4.0{\times}10^6$ and $9.66{\pm}9.6{\times}10^6$. 3. The mRNA of BDNF in BDNF-Ad infected Schwann cells was detected using RT-PCR. In Schwann cell $0.69\;{\mu}g/{\mu}l$ of DNA was detected and in BDNF-Adenovirus transfected Schwann cell $0.795\;{\mu}g/{\mu}l$ of DNA was detected. The most effective infection concentration was determined by LacZ Adenovirus and 75 m.o.i was found the most optimal. Conclusion: BDNF-Ad transfected Schwann cells successfully regenerated the 14mm nerve gap which was connected with calcium phosphate coated Millipore filter. The BDNF-Ad group showed better results compared with Schwann cells only group and control group in aspect to sciatic function index, electrophysiologic measurements and histomorphometric analysis.

Effects of epigallocatechin gallate on $CoCl_2-induced$ apoptosis in PC12 cells (PC12 세포에서 $CoCl_2$ 유발 세포자멸사에 대한 epigallocatechin-gallate의 역할)

  • Mo, Hyun-Chul;Choi, Nam-Ki;Kim, Seon-Mi;Kim, Won-Jae;Yang, Kyu-Ho
    • Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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    • v.33 no.1
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    • pp.13-24
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    • 2006
  • Neuronal apoptotic events, consequently resulting in neuronal cell death, are occurred in hypoxic/ischemic condition. This cell death has been shown to be accompanied with the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can attack cellular components such as nucleic acids, proteins and phospholipid. However, the underlying mechanisms of apoptosis induced in hypoxic/ischemic condition and its treatment methods are unsettled. Cobalt chloride $(CoCl_2)$ has been known to mimic hypoxic condition including the production of ROS. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, has diverse pharmacologial activities in cell growth and death. This study was aimed to investigate the apoptotic mechanism by $CoCL_2$ and effects of EGCG on $CoCl_2-induced$ apoptosis in PC12 cells. Administration of $CoCl_2$ decreased cell survival in dose- and time-dependent manners and induced genomic DNA fragmentation. Treatment with $100{\mu}M$ EGCG for 30 min before PC12 cells were exposed to $150{\mu}M$ $CoCl_2$, being resulted in the cell viability and DNA fragmentation being rescued. $CoCl_2$ caused morphologic changes such as cell swelling and condensed nuclei whereas EGCG attenuated morphologic changes by $CoCl_2$. EGCG suppressed the apoptotic peak and a loss of ${\Delta}{\psi}_m$ induced by $CoCl_2$. $CoCl_2$ decreased Bcl-2 expression but Bax expression was not changed in $CoCl_2$- treated cells. EGCG attenuated the Bcl-2 underexpression by $CoCl_2$. $CoCl_2$ augumented the cytochrome c release from mitochondria into cytoplasm and increased caspase-8, -9 and caspase-3 activity a marker of the apoptotic executing stage. EGCG ameliorated the incruement in caspase-8, -9 and -3 activity, and cytochrome c release by $CoCl_2$ NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine), a scavenger of ROS, attenuated $CoCl_2-induced$ apoptosis in consistent with those of EGCG. These results suggest that $CoCl_2$ induces apoptotic cell death through both mitochondria- and death receptor-dependent pathway and EGCG has neuroprotective effects against $CoCl_2-induced$ apoptosis in PC12 cells.

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