• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.57-62
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• 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study was to use a mouse model to investigate the blastocyst formation rate in vitrified-warmed embryos derived from vitrified-warmed oocytes. Methods: Metaphase II oocytes obtained from BDF1 mice were vitrified and warmed, followed by fertilization with epididymal sperm. On day 3, a total of 176 embryos, at either the eight-cell or the morula stage, were vitrified-warmed (representing group 1). For group 2, 155 embryos at the same developmental stages were not vitrified, but rather were directly cultured until day 5. Finally, group 3 included day-5 blastocysts derived from fresh oocytes, which served as fresh controls. The primary outcome measured was the rate of blastocyst formation per day-3 embryo at the eight-cell or morula stage. Results: The rates of blastocyst formation per day-3 embryo were comparable between groups 1 and 2, at 64.5% and 69.7%, respectively (p>0.05). The formation rates of good-quality blastocysts (expanded, hatching, or hatched) were also similar for groups 1 and 2, at 35.5% and 43.2%, respectively (p>0.05). For the fresh oocytes (group 3), the blastocyst formation rate was 75.5%, which was similar to groups 1 and 2. However, the rate of good-quality blastocyst formation in group 3 was 57.3%, significantly exceeding those of group 1 (p=0.001) and group 2 (p=0.023). Conclusion: Regarding developmental potential to the blastocyst stage, vitrified-warmed day-3 embryos originating from vitrified-warmed oocytes demonstrated comparable results to non-vitrified embryos from similar oocytes. These findings indicate that day-3 embryos derived from vitrified-warmed oocytes can be effectively cryopreserved without incurring cellular damage.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2002

본 연구는 mTCM-199, mWaymouth MB 752/1 그리고 NCSU-23 성숙배지에서 성숙시킨 난포란을 mTBM 수정배지에서 액상정액의 정자를 이용하여 주입정자 농도별로 체외 수정시킴으로써 액상정액을 이용한 새로운 체외수정 방법을 개발하고자 실시하였다. 미성숙 난포란은 0.5 $m\ell$의 성숙배지에 각 well 당 30~40개씩 적하하였다. 액상정액 제조용 정액은 90% 이상의 운동성을 가진 농후정자부분을 사용하였으며 정액채취 후 2시간 동안에 22~24$^{\circ}C$의 실온까지 냉각시켰다. 실온까지 냉각한 정액은 BTS 희석액으로 2$\times$$10^{8}$ $m\ell$ 정자농도로 조정하여 100$m\ell$ 플라스틱병에 30 $m\ell$씩 주입하여 17$^{\circ}C$에서 5일 보관하였다. 5일 보관후 운동성이 70% 이상인 정자를 체외수정에 이용하였다. 38.5$^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$, 95% 공기로 조절된 CO2 배양기에서 44시간 성숙 후 cumulus cell들이 제거된 성숙 난포란은 0.5 $m\ell$의 mTBM 수정배지에 30~40개씩 적하하고 최종정자농도를 1, 2, 4, 6 그리고 10$\times$$10^{6}$$m\ell$되도록하여 주입하고 6시간 동안 수정시켰다. 체외수정시킨 수정란들은 수정 후 6시간 동안 0.5$m\ell$의 NCSU-23 배양배지에서 배양한 후 정자침입율, 다정자침입율 그리고 웅성전핵 형성율을 조사하였다. mTCM-199, mWaymouth MB 752/1 그리고 NCSU­23 성숙배지에서 성숙시킨 난포란을 mTBM 수정배지에서 액상정 액으로 체외수정 한 결과 NCSU-23 성숙배지에서 성숙한 난포란이 웅성전핵형성율이 높았고 다정자침입율이 낮았다. NCSU-23 성숙배지에서 성숙한 난포란을 mTBM 수정배지에서 수정할 경우 최적정자농도는 2~4$\times$$10^{6}$$m\ell$이었으며, 정자침입율은 50.8~50.9%, 다정자침입율은 13.3~19.5% 그리고 웅성전핵형 성율은 43.9~45.4%였다. 결론적으로 NCSU-23 성숙배지에서 성숙되고 mTBM 수정배지에서 수정된 난포란은 mTCM-199이나 mWaymouth MB 752/1 성숙배지에서 성숙되고 mTBM 수정배지에서 수정된 난포란보다 우수한 체외수정 결과를 나타내었다. 17$^{\circ}C$에서 5일 동안 보존한 액상정액으로 NCSU-23 배지에서 성숙한 난포란을 체외수정하기 위한 최적정자농도는 2~4$\times$$10^{6}$$m\ell$이었다.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.225-230
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• 2012

Interferon induced transmembrane protein-1 (Ifitm-1) has been reported to have an important role in primordial germ cell formation, and it has expressed in female reproductive organ. In the present study, Ifitm-1 gene expression was identified in testes and all part of epididymis using western immunoblot and immunohistochemistry. Interestingly, Ifitm-1 expression was observed on the head of spermatozoa. To investigate the role of Ifitm-1 gene expression in behavior of spermatozoa after acrosome reaction, fresh sperm was incubated with calcium ionophore to induce acrosome reaction, whereas the expression of Ifitm-1 was not altered after the acrosome reaction. Then to identify the effect of Ifitm-1 in sperm motility and other seminal parameters, different concentration of Ifitm-1 antibody was incubated with spermatozoa, and seminal parameters were assessed using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Interestingly, motility, progressive, and VAP were increased in the sperm with Ifitm-1 antibody treated compared to rabbit serum, however other parameters such as straightness were not changed. In order to identify the functional significance of Ifitm-1 in fertilization, capacitated spermatozoa were pre-incubated with anti-Ifitm-1 antibody and subsequently examined the ability to adhere to mouse oocytes. However, any defection or alteration in sperm-egg fusion was not found, Ifitm-1 antibody treated or non-treated spermatozoa showed a normal penetration. Although the precise role of Ifitm-1 in sperm motility and following fertilization need to be elucidated, this study suggests that the activation of Ifitm-1 on the sperm may enhance the motility of spermatozoa in mice.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.166-172
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• 2019

Objective: In vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes can be useful for some infertile patients. In IVM programs, the rates of embryo formation and pregnancy are low. Therefore, it is essential to recognize the main factors involved in regulating oocyte maturation in vitro. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and cumulus cell (CC) supplementation in IVM medium on the rates of embryo formation and viability of human blastocysts. Methods: A total of 80 germinal vesicle oocytes from stimulated cycles underwent an IVM program. The oocytes were divided into four groups, where group I consisted of IVM media only and served as the control, group II consisted of IVM+CCs, group III consisted of IVM+GDF9 (200 ng/mL), and group IV consisted of IVM+CCs+GDF9 (200 ng/mL). Intracytoplasmic sperm injection was performed on the IVM oocytes, and the cleavage embryos that were generated were vitrified. Following thawing, the embryos were cultured for 3 additional days, and the viability rates of the developed blastocysts were determined. Results: The maturation rate of the oocytes did not differ significantly across the four groups. The fertilization rate in group II was significantly higher than that in the control group (76.5% vs. 46.2%). Embryo formation was significantly more frequent in all experimental groups than in the control group, while blastocyst formation did not show significant differences in the three experimental groups compared to the control. The mean viability rates in groups II, III, and IV were 58.16%, 55.91%, and 55.95%, respectively, versus 37.78% in the control group (p< 0.05). Conclusion: Supplementation of IVM culture media with GDF9 and CCs enhanced the fertilization, embryo formation, and viability rates of blastocysts generated from vitrified cleavage embryos.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.504-512
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• 2021

TCDD로 유발할 수 있는 남성 난임 원인 중 가장 큰 비율을 차지하는 것은 정자형성 장애와 정자의 질적 저하가 있다. 이를 해결하기 위해 GYB의 한의학적 처방을 이용하여 TCDD-유도 생식독성을 유발한 랫드에서 내분비기능 및 생식독성 관련 지표에 미치는 영향을 조사하고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 수컷 SD 랫드를 5개의 그룹으로 7마리씩 나누어 실험하였다. 정상 대조군은 vehicle 및 saline을 투여하였으며, TCDD 단독투여그룹은 TCDD(2 ㎍/kg, weeks) 및 생리식염수를 복강 내 투여하였으며, 시험 군은 6주 동안 GYB (75, 150, 300 mg/kg)를 3가지 농도로 나누어 경구로 투여하였다. TCDD를 투여한 모든 군에서 체중 감소가 나타났으며, 호르몬 변화에서 GYB 300 mg/kg 투여군에서 free testosterone의 유의한(p<0.01) 감소가 나타났다. 또한 GYB 투여군의 고환조직에서 생식세포 일부 파괴, 정세관 위축 그리고 정자 수의 감소가 농도 의존적으로 개선되는 것이 관찰되었다. 또한 Johnsen's score, serotoli cell index(SCI)에서도 농도 의존적으로 개선되었다(p<0.05). 이러한 발견은 향후 남성 난임의 해결방안으로 의학적 시술이 아닌 약물요법을 효과적으로 사용할 수 있을 것으로 기대할 수 있다.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.103-111
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• 1993

These experiments were undertaken to establish the optimal culture systems for in vitro maturation, fertilization and subsequently embryonic development of porcine immature follicular oocytes isolated from the ovary of slaughtered pigs. Porcine ovaries were brought to the laboratory from local slaughter house within 1 hour after slaughtering and cumulus oocytes complexes were recovered from antral follicles (3~5mm) with 23 gauge needle. To maturate follicular oocytes, cumulus oocytes complexes were washed three times with TCM-199 containing 25mM HEPES and incubated (39$^{\circ}C$, 5% CO2 in air) for 42hrs. Ejaculated and liquid storaged boar spermatozoa capacitated with different sperm capacitation methods and media were prepared forfertilizaing of matured follicular oocytes in vitro. Fertilization was performed by adding 5~10${mu}ell$ of capacitated spermatozoa containing 1~5$\times$105 sperm/ml to droplets. Eighteen to twenty-eight hours after sperm insemination, fertilized eggs were washed three times with culture media and transferred to the culture media. The fertilization rates of in vitro matured follicular oocytes cultured in B. O., TCM-HEPES, m-KRB, and TALP-II media were 61.3%, 83.0%, 88.9% and 89.2%, respectively. In addition, the polyspermy rates were 60.7%, 66.5%, 53.8%, and 43.9%, respectively. These data indicated that the highest of fertilization and the lowest of polyspermy rate was shown in TALP-II medium. Spermatozoa capacitated by caffeine, heparin, and percoll density gradient treatment in the 4 different media, the fertilization rates were 33.0~57.2%, 39.9~90.2%, and 52.6~92.8%, respectively, showing the lowest rate in caffeine treatment. The development rate of follicular oocytes, fertilized with the spermatozoa capacitated by caffeine, heparin, and percoll gradient in the TALP-II medium, upto 2 to 4-cell stages were 32.6%, 74.5% and 70.9%, respectively. Finally, fertilization rates of follicular oocytes cultured with follicular fluid containing medium from 10 to 100% were 61.2~94.1% and the rates (90~94%) with 10~20% follicular fluids were significantly higher than those (85.3%) of cultured in the media without follicular fluid. In addition, the rates of pronucleus formation were also higher in follicular fluid treated group (73.1~83.0%) than those (64.7%) of oocytes cultured without follicular fluid. The highest fertilization and pronucleus formation rates was found in oocytes cultured with 10% follicular fluid. These results suggest that the addition of heparin or percoll density gradient method is better capacitation method. Furthermore, the addition of porcine follicular fluid to the fertilization medium may improve the fertilization rates and formation of pronucleus.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권6호
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• pp.506-517
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• 2015

Arabidopsis Shaggy-like protein kinases (ASKs) are Arabidopsis thaliana homologs of glycogen synthase kinase 3/SHAGGY-like kinases (GSK3/SGG), which are comprised of 10 genes with diverse functions. To dissect the function of $ASK{\beta}$ (AtSK32), $ASK{\beta}$ antisense transgenic plants were generated, revealing the effects of $ASK{\beta}$ down-regulation in Arabidopsis. Suppression of $ASK{\beta}$ expression specifically interfered with pollen development and fertility without altering the plants' vegetative phenotypes, which differed from the phenotypes reported for Arabidopsis plants defective in other ASK members. The strength of these phenotypes showed an inverse correlation with the expression levels of $ASK{\beta}$ and its co-expressed genes. In the aborted pollen of $ASK{\beta}$ antisense plants, loss of nuclei and shrunken cytoplasm began to appear at the bicellular stage of microgametogenesis. The in silico analysis of promoter and the expression characteristics implicate $ASK{\beta}$ is associated with the expression of genes known to be involved in sperm cell differentiation. We speculate that $ASK{\beta}$ indirectly affects the transcription of its co-expressed genes through the phosphorylation of its target proteins during late pollen development.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.91-96
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• 2013

Transgenic chickens have been spotlighted as an highly potent bioreactor for their fecundity, short generation time, and eggs associated with mass production of protein. In this study, we generated transgenic chickens exhibiting oviduct specific expression of human growth hormone fused to human transferrin for oral administration. Gene of the modified growth hormone located at downstream ovalbumin promoter (~3.6 kb) was introduced to stage X blastodermal cell employing retrovirus vector system. Several transgenic chickens were successfully generated. However, genomic analyses showed unexpected deletion within the transgene. The modification of the transgene seemed to occur during germ cell formation because the deletion was detected only from the sperm DNA of the G0 founder animal. There was no evidence of deletion in the somatic cell DNA samples of the same chicken. Consequently, same pattern of the deletion was confirmed in both somatic and germ cells of the G1 progeny.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.301-314
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• 2005

Objective: Rebamipide is a propionic acid derivative that has an action of the inhibition of superoxide production and removal of hydroxyl radical with the sperm incubation and cryopreservation. In the present study, to investigate whether rebamipide is useful to treat male infertility and sterility, the author observed the antioxidative effects in patient with male infertility and also examined its absorption and distribution in rat genital organ. Methods: To measure the distribution of rebamipide in reproductive organ in the rat, carbon indicated rebamipide, $^{14}C-OPC-12759$, was orally administered to 10 Spraque-Dawley rats and its organ concentration in serum, liver, kidney, stomach, duodenum, colon, urinary bladder, seminal vesicle, epididymis and testicle were measured each time after 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours by using HPLC fluorescent method. The concentrations in semen were measured by HPLC fluorescent method in a sample of 50 infertile males who took 900 mg of rebamipide daily for 3 months. To measure the antioxidative effect and fertility rate for 3 months, each month before and after the treatment, sperm motility, vitality, the oxygen free radical formation, level of peroxidation, fetilizing capacity of semen sample which were obtained from infertile male patients by masturbation after at least 48 hours abstinence were analyzed by computer assisted semen analyzer, eosin-nigrosin stain, chemiluminescence, thiobarbituric acid method and hypo-osmotic swelling test. Simultaneously in a sample that wanted baby, both pregnancy and delivery were researched. Results: The $^{14}C-OPC-12759$ concentration in the body of white rats was highest in gastrointestinal organ like stomach, smal intestine and duodenum and followed by genital organ like seminal vesicle, testis and epididymis. The rebamipide concentration in semen of infertile males was $220.77{\pm}327.84ng/mL$ (SD) which showed a large deviation but it was higher than serum which was $126{\pm}76ng/mL$ (SD). In the infertile males, after the treatment with rebamipide, the level of seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation have significantly decreased in duration of the treatment (p<0.05) and sperm vitality and fertilizing capacity except sperm motility significantly improved on post treatment of 2~3 months (p<0.05). Out of the 41 cases who hoped for pregnancy, 15 cases (36.6%) became pregnant and 12 cases had childbrith, 2 cases had miscarriage and one case is ongoing. The side effect was observed in 1 case (2%) which experienced diarrhea but it was lost spontaneously. Conclusions: We conclude from this study that rebamipide showed relatively high tendancy of absorption and excretion in the genital organ. In infertile males who had elevated ROS in semen, by specifically inhibiting the cell damage from the antioxidation, a way to preserve sperm motility, vitality and fertilizing capacity was confirmed.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.93-98
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• 2009

Objectives : Previously we reported that the roots of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (Araliaceae) increased sperm count and motility. also induced spermatogenesis via cAMP-responsive element modulator(CREM) activation in rat testes. In this study, for the first step of spermatogenesis in germ cell lines, the antioxidant activity of Panax ginseng were examined in mouse GC-1 spermatogonia cells. Methods : The extract was studied on diphenyl-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, GC-1 cell viability by a modified MIT assay. H202-induced cytotoxicity by MIT assay and lipid peroxidation by malondialdehyde (MDA) formation. respectively. Results: The results showed that the extract scavenged DPPH radical with the IC50 being 0.631 mg/mi. The extract at concentrations of 5, and 10, 50, 100, 250 ${\mu}$g/mi increased GC-1 cell viability significantly(p < 0.05, and p < O.O1). Hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity (73.8%, p < O.O1) was blocked by the extract at concentrations of 50, and 100, 250, 500 ${\mu}$g/ml significantly (p < 0.05, and p < O.O1). The extract at concentrations of 10. and 50 ${\mu}$g/ml decreased the MDA formation on hydrogen peroxide-induced lipid peroxidation. Conclusions : In conclusion, the extract of Panax ginseng has potent antioxidant activity and increases the survival rate of GC-1 spg cells against $H_20_2$-induced cytotoxicity.