• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.217-217
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• 2004

The present study was conducted to investigate the developmental competency between male- and female-somatic cell derived nuclear-transferred porcine embryos, and the productive and survival efficiency of cloned male and female piglets. The potential of eggs receiving somatic cells to develop into blastocysts was not different among donor cells of different origins. (omitted)

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2010

Oocyte enucleation is essential for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) in the production of cloned animals or embryonic stem cells from adult somatic cells. Most studies of oocyte enucleation have been performed using micromanipulator-based techniques, which are technically demanding, time-consuming, and expensive. Several recent studies have used chemical-induced oocyte enucleation; however, each has been plagued by low efficiency and toxicity. In this study, I found that the co-treatment of murine oocytes with demecolcine and BMI-1026, a potent cdk1 inhibitor, resulted in a high enucleation rate (97%). This method is entirely independent of a micromanipulator and is suitable for the large-scale production of enucleated oocytes. This new method of enucleation will be useful in SCNT and in the development of handmade cloning techniques.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.1360-1366
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• 2022

Objective: The present study analyzed the influence of co-transferring embryos with high and low cloning efficiencies produced via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) on pregnancy outcomes in dogs. Methods: Cloned dogs were produced by SCNT using donor cells derived from a Tibetan Mastiff (TM) and Toy Poodle (TP). The in vivo developmental capacity of cloned embryos was evaluated. The pregnancy and parturition rates were determined following single transfer of 284 fused oocytes into 21 surrogates and co-transfer of 47 fused oocytes into four surrogates. Results: When cloned embryos produced using a single type of donor cell were transferred into surrogates, the pregnancy and live birth rates were significantly higher following transfer of embryos produced using TP donor cells than following transfer of embryos produced using TM donor cells. Next, pregnancy and live birth rates were compared following single and co-transfer of these cloned embryos. The pregnancy and live birth rates were similar upon co-transfer of embryos and single transfer of embryos produced using TP donor cells but were significantly lower upon single transfer of embryos produced using TM donor cells. Furthermore, the parturition rate for TM dogs and the percentage of these dogs that remained alive until weaning was significantly higher upon co-transfer than upon single transfer of embryos. However, there was no difference between the two embryo transfer methods for TP dogs. The mean birth weight of cloned TM dogs was significantly higher upon single transfer than upon co-transfer of embryos. However, the body weight of TM dogs did not significantly differ between the two embryo transfer methods after day 5. Conclusion: For cloned embryos with a lower developmental competence, the parturition rate and percentage of dogs that remain alive until weaning are increased when they are co-transferred with cloned embryos with a greater developmental competence.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.40.1-40.13
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• 2022

Background: Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is used widely in cloning, stem cell research, and regenerative medicine. The type of donor cells is a key factor affecting the SCNT efficiency. Objectives: This study examined whether urine-derived somatic cells could be used as donors for SCNT in pigs. Methods: The viability of cells isolated from urine was assessed using trypan blue and propidium iodide staining. The H3K9me3/H3K27me3 level of the cells was analyzed by immunofluorescence. The in vitro developmental ability of SCNT embryos was evaluated by the blastocyst rate and the expression levels of the core pluripotency factor. Blastocyst cell apoptosis was examined using a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling assay. The in vivo developmental ability of SCNT embryos was evaluated after embryo transfer. Results: Most sow urine-derived cells were viable and could be cultured and propagated easily. On the other hand, most of the somatic cells isolated from the boar urine exhibited poor cellular activity. The in vitro development efficiency between the embryos produced by SCNT using porcine embryonic fibroblasts (PEFs) and urine-derived cells were similar. Moreover, The H3K9me3 in SCNT embryos produced from sow urine-derived cells and PEFs at the four-cell stage showed similar intensity. The levels of Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2 expression in blastocysts were similar in the two groups. Furthermore, there is a similar apoptotic level of cloned embryos produced by the two types of cells. Finally, the full-term development ability of the cloned embryos was evaluated, and the cloned fetuses from the urine-derived cells showed absorption. Conclusions: Sow urine-derived cells could be used to produce SCNT embryos.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.64-64
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• 2001

To facilitate the widespread application of somatic cell cloning, improvements in blastocyst production efficiency and subsequent fetal viability are required. Area where technical improvements are needed include donor cell treatments, starvation and passage numbers. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of serum-starvation and passage on the development of ear skin fibroblast cells cloned embryos. A skin biopsy was obtained from the ear of a 2-year-old Korean Hanwoo female. The cells were cultured in 10% FBS＋DMEM up to 2-3 months(up to 10 passages) and then used. In Experiment 1, the Korean bovine Ear Skin Fibroblast cells (KbESF) were either serum starved (culture in 0.05% FBS＋DMEM) or serum fed (10% FBS＋DMEM) for 4-7 days Prior to NT In Experiment 2, the KbESF cells used for nuclear transfer in these experiments were from passages 2 to 10. The development of 208 nuclear transfer (NT) embryos reconstructed from either serum starved or serum fed ear skin fibroblast was assessed. NT embryos reconstructed from serum starved and serum fed cells showed the same developmental rate (cleavage 80.16 vs. 85.37%; blastocyst 20.63 vs. 19,51%). The development of 590 nuclear transfer (NT) embryos reconstructed from passage 2 to 10 was assessed. We observed the same developmental rates for embryos derived from later Passages as compared with those embryos from early passages(blastocyst from 16.69 to 27.91%, average 20.17%). There was no significant difference between serum-fed and serum-starved donor cells. We observed no difference in developmental rates for embryos derived from 2 to 10 passages. These data show that prolonged culture and serum starvation does not affects the cloning competence of adult somatic cells.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.123-133
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• 2011

Rapid development of life sciences about human cloning in real world is reflected alternately ahead and behind in the movies and it brings up the conversation topics about the scenario of diverse human life in the near future. This study is the consideration of the characteristic of the human cloning motif in movies, focused on the feature film which consider human cloning a philosophical point of view. The emergence and evolution of somatic cell cloning conclude the problem of philosophical anthropology. And identity and un-naturality of human clone boils down to desire and dilemma of character in . The dramatize to the exclusion of genre's attribution and the setting of twofold relationship between original and clone as well as real mother and daughter prove the critical mind of as stated above. This study also reported it reinforces the characteristic of the human cloning motif in movies that plotting with parallel narrative and the consistent attitudes with various cinematic expression and techniques.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.235-240
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• 2007

This study was conducted to examine the viability of Korean native striped cattle (Bos namadicus Falconer, Chikso) clone embryos after embryo transfer. Chikso somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos were produced by fusion of ear skin cells derived from a female Chikso with enucleated oocytes matured in vitro for 18-24 hr. After in vitro culture of SCNT embryos for 7 to 8 days, fresh or vitrified blastocysts derived from SCNT were transferred into a uterine horn of recipient cows. Fifteen of total 43 recipients were pregnant at Day 50 and 4 recipients were maintained to term. Three IVF-derived calves and 1 clone Chikso calf were born. Pregnancy rate was higher when fresh embryos were transferred to recipients compared to vitrified embryos, but development to term was not different between both groups. The clone Chikso calf died at 5 days after birth due to the fullness of amniotic fluid in rumen and the infection of umbilical cord. The result of the present study shows that clone Chikso calf can produced from the embryo transfer of SCNT embryos, however, solution of abortion problem is necessary to improve the cloning efficiency.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 2016

Since the first success of animal cloning, somatic cell nuclear transfer presented various ideas in many research areas such as regenerative medicine. However, SCNT embryos has poor survival rate. Therefore, numerous researches carried out to enhance the developmental capability of porcine nuclear transfer embryos. Cytochalasin B, demecolcine, latrunculin A, cycloheximide and 6-dimethylaminopurine are efficient chemicals treated in post-activation procedure to increase the efficiency of SCNT. This review study is aim to investigate the effects of these chemicals applied to post-activation in porcine SCNT. Cytochalasin B, demecolcine, latrunculin A are cytoskeletal manuplators inhibit extrusion of pseudo-polar body. Cytochalasin B and demecolcine showed considerably higher blastocyst formation proportion (26-28%) compared to when they are not treated (16%). And when latrunculin A was treated for postactivation, blastocyst formation proportion was increased in SCNT embryos exposed to LA (38%) than those in control (14%). On the other hand, cycloheximide and 6-dimethylaminopurine are protein synthesis and kinase inhibitors. And they help to maintain $Ca^{2+}$ fluctuation in oocytes. Cleavage and blastocyst rates of NT embryos were increased when they were exposed to CHX (16.9% and 5.4% with no CHX).And 6-DMAP also showed higher blastocyst formation (21.5% compared to 15.7%, control). Although all these chemicals have different mechanisms, they showed developmental competence enhancement in NT embryos. However, there are only few studies comparing each chemical's post-activation effect. Therefore, further research and study should be conducted to find optimal chemical for improving the efficiency of SCNT.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.26-31
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• 2004

This work was undertaken in order to study the developmental competence of nuclear transfer cat embryo with fetal fibroblast and adult skin fibroblast as donor nuclei. Oocytes wererecovered by mincing the ovaries in Hepes-buffered TCM199 and selected the cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) with compact cumulus cell mass and dark. Homogenous ooplasm were cultured for maturation in TCM199 + 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) for 12 hours and used as a source of recipient cytoplast for exogenous somatic nuclei. In Experiment 1, we evaluated the effect donor cell types on the reconstruction and development of cloned embryos. Fusion, first cleavage and blastocyst developmental rate was not different between fetal fibroblast and adult skin cell (71.2 vs. 66.8; 71.0 vs. 57.6; 4.0 vs. 6.1 %, P<0.05). In Experiment 2, cloned embryos were surgically transferred into the oviducts of recipient queens. One of seven recipient queens was delivered naturally 2healthy cloned cats and 1 stillborn from fetal fibroblast cell of male origin after 65 days embryo transfer. One of three recipient queens was delivered naturally 1 healthy cloned cat from adult skin cell of female after 65 days embryo transfer. The cloned cats showed genotypes identical to the donor cell lines, indicating that adult somatic cells can be used for feline cloning.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.767-778
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• 2023

The aim of the research is to identify that porcine oocytes can function as recipients for interspecies cloning and have the ability to develop to blastocysts. Furthermore each mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in interspecises cloned embryos was analyzed. For the study, mouse-porcine and porcine-porcine cloned embryos were produced with mouse fetal fibroblasts (MFF) and porcine fetal fibroblasts (PFF), respectively, introduced as donor cells into enucleated porcine oocytes. The developmental rate and cell numbers of blastocysts between intraspecies porcine-porcine and interspecies mouse-porcine cloned embryos were compared and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for the estimate of mouse and porcine mtDNA copy number in mouse-porcine cloned embryos at different stages.There was no significant difference in the developmental rate or total blastocyst number between mouse-porcine cloned embryos and porcine-porcine cloned embryos (11.1 ± 0.9%, 25 ± 3.5 vs. 10.1 ± 1.2%, 24 ± 6.3). In mouse-porcine reconstructed embryos, the copy numbers of mouse somatic cell-derived mtDNA decreased between the 1-cell and blastocyst stages, whereas the copy number of porcine oocyte-derived mtDNA significantly increased during this period, as assessed by real-time PCR analysis. In our real-time PCR analysis, we improved the standard curve construction-based method to analyze the level of mtDNA between mouse donor cells and porcine oocytes using the copy number of mouse beta-actin DNA as a standard. Our findings suggest that mouse-porcine cloned embryos have the ability to develop to blastocysts in vitro and exhibit mitochondrial heteroplasmy from the 1-cell to blastocyst stages and the mouse-derived mitochondria can be gradually replaced with those of the porcine oocyte in the early developmental stages of mouse-porcine cloned embryos.