• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.12a
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• pp.124-125
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• 2003

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.85-86
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• 1999

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.60-61
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• 1999

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 1995

Growth factors (GFs) produced by the embryo or by the maternal reproductive tract have been reported to regulate the embryonic development and differentiation. Among GFs, EGF as a mitogen plays a role in mitosis and functional differentiation of trophectoderm cells in mouse. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of EGF on development of mouse embryos and to localize EGF in the mouse oocytes and embryos, which has been reported to be detected in the reproductive tract in mammals. To investigate the effect of EGF on the development of the embryo, mouse 2-cell embryos were cultured to blastocysts stage in Ham's F10 medium, treated with EGF(10-50 ng/ml) for 72 hrs. Immunocytochemistry was performed from oocyte to blastocyst stage with anti-EGF and anti-Mouse IgG, in order to determine the stage which EGF would be expressed in mouse. Exogenous EGF (more than 10 ng/ml) in the culture medium improved the developmental and hatching rates in the mouse embryos. As a result of immunocytochemistry, the embryonic EGF was expressed after the late 4-cell stage. EGF is thought to enhance preimplantation embryonic development and hatching. Exogenous EGF in the culture medium is thought to activate EGF receptor in the late 4-cell embryos and to enhance blastulation and hatching in mouse embryos. It is concluded that EGF enhances the developmental and hatching rates in the mouse embryos.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.380-389
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• 2022

Morphometric relationships, condition factor (CF) and reproductive biology are significant tools in fish stock management, fish biology, physiology, conservation and ecology. Growth and reproductive strategy of Oreochromis niloticus were studied from 343 fish specimens collected from Lake Shala between January and December 2018. Fish samples ranged from 7.7 cm to 33.0 cm in total length (TL) and from 7.80 g to 708.21 g in total weight (TW) were collected using gillnets of 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 mm mesh sizes. The length-weight relationship of O. niloticus was TW = 0.0104TL^3.19, indicating positive allometric growth of the fish. The sex ratio (0.93:1) was insignificant from the ideal fish distribution of 1:1 (χ² = 0.47, p > 0.05). Mean CF for males, females and combined sexes was 1.04, 1.06 and 1.05, respectively and statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). The spawning peak occurred in July (rainy) and February (dry) periods, as defined by ripe females and the breeding season. Absolute mean fecundity was 806 eggs and correlated positively with TL and TW of the fish (p < 0.05) (F = 0.56TL^2.29, R² = 0.93, p < 0.05; F = 18.83TW^0.67, R² = 0.90, p < 0.05). The study provides the first detailed account of the morphometric relationships and reproductive biology of O. niloticus in Lake Shala, which can be used as baseline information for successive biological-based studies in Soda Lakes of Ethiopia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.10-14
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• 2012

The ovarian follicles develop initially from primordial follicles. The majority of ovarian primordial follicles are maintained quiescently as a reserve for the reproductive life span. Only a few of them are activated and develop to an advanced follicular stage. The maintenance of dormancy and activation of primordial follicles are controlled by coordinated actions of a suppressor/activator with close communications with somatic cells and intra-oocyte signaling pathways. Many growth factors and signaling pathways have been identified and the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily plays important roles in early folliculogenesis. However, the mechanism of maintaining the dormancy and survival of primordial follicles has remained unknown for decades. Recently, since the first finding that all primordial follicles are activated prematurely in mice deficient forkhead box O3a, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) signaling pathway was reported to be important in the regulation of dormancy and initial follicular activation. With these informations on early folliculogenesis, clinical application can be expected such as in vitro maturation of immature oocytes or in vitro activation of follicles by PTEN inhibitor in cryopreserved ovarian cortical tissues for fertility preservation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.142-151
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• 2009

The incidence of small for gestational age (SGA) births is frequent, accounting for 2.3% to 8% of all live births. Several childhood and adult diseases are related to early postnatal growth and birth size, and 10% of children born SGA may have a short stature throughout postnatal life. Additionally, they may have abnormal growth hormone (GH)-insulin like growth factor axis, HPA axis, and gonadal function. Permanent changes are detrimental in an environment of nutritional abundance, and predispose SGA children to an array of diseases in adolescence and adulthood. Such changes may also cause premature pubarche, adrenarche, and precocious puberty. The varying results from clinical studies necessitate more prospective case control studies. Reproductive tract abnormalities and reproductive dysfunction are related to SGA births. GH treatment is required for SGA infants who do not experience catch-up growth.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 2023

Objective: The DNA integrity of spermatozoa that attach to fallopian tube (FT) cells is higher than spermatozoa that do not attach. FT epithelial cells can distinguish normal and abnormal sperm chromatin. This study investigated the effects of sperm with a high-DNA fragmentation index (DFI) from men with unexplained repeated implantation failure (RIF) on the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway in human FT cells in vitro. Methods: Ten men with a RIF history and high-DFI and 10 healthy donors with low-DFI comprised the high-DFI (>30%) and control (<30%) groups, respectively. After fresh semen preparation, sperm were co-cultured with a human FT epithelial cell line (OE-E6/E7) for 24 hours. RNA was extracted from the cell line and the human innate and adaptive immune responses were tested using an RT2 profiler polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array. Results: The PCR array data showed significantly higher TLR-1, TLR-2, TLR-3, TLR-6, interleukin 1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, interferon α (IFN-α), IFN-β, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), CXCL8, GM-CSF, G-CSF, CD14, ELK1, IRAK1, IRAK2, IRAK4, IRF1, IRF3, LY96, MAP2K3, MAP2K4, MAP3K7, MAP4K4, MAPK8, MAPK8IP3, MYD88, NFKB1, NFKB2, REL, TIRAP, and TRAF6 expression in the high-DFI group than in the control group. These factors are all involved in the TLR-MyD88 signaling pathway. Conclusion: The MyD88-dependent pathway through TLR-1, TLR-2, and TLR-6 activation may be one of the main inflammatory pathways activated by high-DFI sperm from men with RIF. Following activation of this pathway, epithelial cells produce inflammatory cytokines, resulting in neutrophil infiltration, activation, phagocytosis, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, and apoptosis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.305-312
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• 2007

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of split insemination method in treatments for non-male factor infertility. Method: Laboratory and clinical data were collected from 505 cycles of split insemination during 2002$\sim$2005 in our center. The subjects were non-male factor infertility such as endometriosis, tubal, uterine, PCOS and idiopathic infertility without any sperm defects. Retrieved oocytes were randomly divided, and inseminated by conventional IVF or ICSI. Fertilized zygotes were cultured for 2$\sim$5 days to ET date, and surplus zygotes and embryos were frozen for subsequent frozen-thawed ET cycles. Clinical outcomes according to insemination method were compared by statistical analysis. Results: The overall fertilization per retrieved oocytes was significantly higher in ICSI than that of conventional IVF in sibling oocytes (62.5$\pm$22.3% vs 52.9$\pm$28.0%, p<0.01). Total fertilization failure occurred only in 2 of 505 cycles (0.4%) in split insemination cycles. Incidence of fertilization failure and poor fertilization rate less than 30% by ICSI were significantly lower than those of conventional IVF (1.1% and 7.5% vs 8.5% and 22.0%, p<0.01). Delivery rates after transfer of fresh and thawed embryos from split insemination cycles were 40.0% (185/462) and 35.0% (55/157), respectively. There was no significant difference in the implantation and delivery rates of ET with embryos from conventional IVF or ICSI. Conclusion: Taken together, the split insemination method improves poor fertilization rates resulting in successful clinical outcomes and thus could be used for non-male factor infertile couples in human ART program.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.97-101
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• 2016

Objective: Growth hormone and its mediator, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), have been suggested to exert gonadotropic actions in both humans and animals. The present study was conducted to assess the relationship between serum IGF-1 concentration, seminal plasma concentration, and sperm parameter abnormalities. Methods: A total of 79 men were enrolled in this study from December 2011 to July 2012 and were prospectively analyzed. Patient parameters analyzed included age, body mass index, smoking status, urological history, and fertility history. Patients were divided into four groups based on their semen parameters: normal (A, n=31), abnormal sperm motility (B, n=12), abnormal sperm morphology (C, n=20), and two or more abnormal parameters (D, n=16). Patient seminal plasma and serum IGF-1 concentrations were determined. Results: Patient baseline characteristics were not significantly different between any of the groups. The serum IGF-1 levels in groups B, C, and D were significantly lower than the levels in group A; however, the seminal plasma IGF-1 levels were not significantly different between any of the groups. Conclusion: Men with abnormal sperm parameters had significantly lower levels of serum IGF-1 compared with men with normal sperm parameters. Seminal plasma IGF-1 levels, however, did not differ significantly between the groups investigated here. Further investigations will be required to determine the exact mechanisms by which growth hormone and IGF-1 affect sperm quality.