• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 1996

The time-course process by which spermatozoa penetrates through the micropvle apparatus into the egg cytoplasm of rainbow trout, Oncorhvnchus mvkiss, was examined with transmission and scanning electron microscopy. In the unfertilized egg, the ess surface beneath the inner opening of the micropylar canal did not differ distinctly from the rest of the animal pole area. A spermatozoon attached to the micropvle opening 20 seconds after insemination. In the initial stases of penetration, the spermatozoon still within the micropvlar canal attached perpendicularly at its apical tip to the ess surface, then the sperm head was rapidly engulfed by the folded egg surface with its manly microvilli. A large fertilization cone with microvillus-free surface appeared on the esS surface sutra-rounding the penetrating spermatozoon. The head portion of the penetrating spermatozoon was completely wrapped by the ess surface with only the tail portion visible externally 30 seconds after insemination. The fertilization cone displayed the tail portion of the penetrating spermatozoon on the central portion of its surface 60 seconds after insemination. 150 seconds after insemination, breakdown of the cortical granules elevation were initiated at the animal pole, then completed at the vegetable pole area. The spermatozoon disappeared from the outer surface of the ess before the fertilization cone completely retracted 250 seconds after insemination. In result, the block to polvspermv to permit entry of a sin81e sperm is considered to be mechanical by the rnorpholoSical design of the micropvle and fertilization cone.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of $\alpha$-tocopherol and cysteamine with Whitten's medium in supporting the development on in vitro maturation(IVM), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in culture(IVC) on porcine oocytes. When the immature oocytes were cultured of $\alpha$-tocopherol for 40h, the nuclear maturation rates were 39, 4, 52.5 and 54.1%, respectivley. The nuclear maturation rates of treat groups were signficantly (P<0.05) higher than those of non-treat groups. After matureation, the oocytes were inseminated in vitro in medium 199 with ejaculated spermatoza for examination of sperm penetration, polyspermy, male pronuclear(MPN) formation, and cleavage rate. Sperm penetration rates of treat higher than the control groups(P<0.05), and MPN formation rates were significantly(P<0.05) higher on treated groups (24.3~53.1%) than control groups(14.2~21.4%). After insemination, the cleavage rates at 120hr were groups higher than control groups(P<0.05).

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.52-52
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• 1996

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.1205-1213
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• 2023

The goals of the present study were to develop a simple method for obtain highly purified pig sperm hyaluronidase (pHyase) and to assess its activity, function, and safety. In mammals, sperm-specific glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored Hyase assists sperm penetration through the cumulus mass surrounding the egg and aids in the dispersal of the cumulus-oocyte complex. Recently, Purified bovine sperm hyaluronidase (bHyase) has been shown to enhance therapeutic drug transport by breaking down the hyaluronan barrier to the lymphatic and capillary vessels, thereby facilitating tissue absorption. Commercially available Hyase is typically isolated from bovine or ovine; which have several disadvantages, including the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, low homology with human Hyase, and the requirement for relatively complex isolation procedures. This study successfully isolated highly purified pHyase in only two steps, using ammonium sulfate precipitation and fast protein liquid chromatography. The isolated Hyase had activity equal to that of commercial bHyase, facilitated in vitro fertilization, and effectively dissolved high molecule hyaluronic acid. This simple, effective isolation method could improve the availability of pHyase for research and clinical applications.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.81-87
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• 1991

There studies were carried for evaluation of the efficiency of freezing of hamster oocytes for use in a human sperm penetration assay. The hamster oocytes fully equilibrated in various cryoprotectant agents and inseminated with human sperm. After insemination with hamster oocytes, there was no difference in penetrated rates. Cumulus free oocytes equilibrated in 1.5M various cryoprotective agents and slowely cooled to temperature $-30^{\circ}C$ before rapid cooling and storage in nitrozen tank. After rapid thawing, survival rates of frozen oocytes according to cryo-protective agents were examined and the human sperm penetration assay with zona free hamster oocytes was conducted. 1. Survival rates of oocytes after cryoprotectants exposure have no significant difference (range 88-91%) and peneration rate was 51.1%. 2. Recovery and survival rate of frozen-thawed oocytes were 85.1 and 66.8%. There was no significant difference on cryoprotective agents. 3. Penetration rates of the frozen-thawed and intact oocytes were 69.0 and 77.0%, respectively. 4. Hamster oocytes cryopreservation provides a convenient way of supplying and trans-porting hamster oocytes for the assessment of the fertilizing potential of human spermatozoa.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2002

Objective : This study was designed to investigate the interrelationship and clinical usefulness of sperm morphology by strict criteria (SM), acrosome reaction following ionophore challenge test (ARIC) and sperm penetration assay (SPA) using zona-free hamster ova as prognostic factors in in vitro fertilization. Materials and Methods: Semen samples were provided by 83 patients undergoing IVF. We first evaluated the differences between normal fertilization group and poor fertilization group on three andrologic tests. Secondly, we analyzed the relationship between the three andrologic tests and in vitro fertilization on IVF settings. Finally, we evaluated the effectiveness of the three andrologic tests as the prognostic indicators for fertilizing ability. Results: The fertilization rate of all men in the poor fertilization group was less than 30%; but there was no evidence that this poor fertilization was due to oocyte defects. The results of three andrologic tests were significatly higher in normal fertilization group. Fertilization rate (%) in vitro was highly correlated (p<0.001) with % normal sperm by SM, ARIC value (%), and SPA result. By using Receiver-Operator-Characteristic curve (ROC), we evaluated the effectiveness of these three tests. The sensitivity and specificity of SM, ARIC test and SPA in predicting fertilization potential in IVF setting were 76% and 75%, 84% and 90%, and 76% and 95%, respectively. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the three andrologic tests can be reliable tools as prognostic factors of sperm fertilizing ability. Among these test, ARIC test and SPA gave more accurate information on fertilizing capacity. ARIC test was shown to have a predictive value for fertilizing ability comparable to that of SPA that appears to be a simple and cost-effective addition to current andrology laboratory. Combined application of these three tests may give more information on predicting sperm fertilizing capacity.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.63-63
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of liquid boar sperm stored at 4$^{\circ}C$ on sperm motility, normal acrosome, and in-vitro fertilization and culture of pig oocytes matured in-vitro. The sperm-rich fraction (30~60 ml) of ejaculate was collected into an insulated vacuum bottle. Semen was slowly cooled to room temperature (20~23$^{\circ}C$) by 2 h after collection. Semen was transferred into 15 ml tubes, centrifuged at room temperature for 10 min at 800$\times$g, and the supernatant solution was poured off. The concentrated sperm was resuspended with 5 ml of lactose, egg yolk and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (LEN) diluent to provide 1.0$\times$10$^{9}$ sperm/ml at room temperature. The resuspended semen was cooled in a refrigerator to 4$^{\circ}C$ and preserved for 5 days to examine sperm motility and normal acrosome. The medium used for oocyte maturation was modified tissue culture medium (TCM) 199. After about 22 h of culture, oocytes were cultured without cysteamine and hormones for 22 h at 38.5$^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ in air. Oocytes were inseminated with liquid boar sperm stored at 4$^{\circ}C$ for 2 days after collection. Oocytes were coincubated for 6 h in 500 ${mu}ell$ mTBM fertilization media with 0.2, 1, 5 and 10$\times$10$^{6}$ /ml sperm concentration, respectively. At 6 h after IVF, oocytes were transferred into 500 ${mu}ell$ Hepes-buffered NCSU-23 culture medium for further culture of 6, 48 and 144 h. There were significant differences in sperm motility and normal acrosome among preservation days and incubation times, respectively. The rates of sperm penetration and polyspermy were higher in 5 and 10$\times$10$^{6}$ sperm/ml than in 0.2 and 1$\times$10$^{6}$ sperm/ml. Male pronuclear formation was lower in 0.2$\times$10$^{6}$ sperm/ml than in 1, 5 and 10$\times$10$^{6}$ sperm/ml. Mean numbers of sperm in penetrated oocyte were highest in 10$\times$10$^{6}$ sperm/ml compared with other sperm concentrations. The rate of blastocysts from the cleaved oocytes (2~4 cell stage) was highest in 1$\times$10$^{6}$ sperm/ml compared with other sperm concentrations. In conclusion, we found out that liquid boar sperm stored at 4$^{\circ}C$ could be used for in-vitro fertilization of pig oocytes matured in-vitro. Also, we recommend 1$\times$10$^{6}$ ml sperm concentration for in-vitro fertilization of pig oocytes.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.229-237
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• 1999

The influence of ascorbic acid (Asc) and ferrous sulfate (Fe$^{2＋}$) on capacitation, acrosome reaction and fertility in vitro was investigated in boar frozen-thawed spermatozoa with or without preincubation. The addition of 0-1.0 mM Fe$^{2＋}$ to sperm suspensions during preincubation increase acrosome reaction (P＜0.05) and oocyte penetration. These increase are also associated with addition of 0~0.5 mM Asc, but the penetration rates were higher in those without than with sperm preincubation. The addition of 0.1 mM Asc than 0.5 mM in medium with Fe$^{2＋}$ were significantly (P＜0.05) higher on acrosome reaction at 2 h after sperm preincubation. No significant differences, however, were observed in penetration rates among the concentrations of Asc. On the other hand, when preincubation medium containing the Asc was supplemented with 0.1mM Fe$^{2＋}$, the percentage of spermatozoa acrosome-reacted were significantly (P＜0.05) higher than in medium wothout Fe$^{2＋}$, on the contrary, the penetration rate was significantly (P＜0.05) low during in-vitro fertilization. These findings indicate some apparent effects of Fe$^{2＋}$ or Asc addition on acrosome reaction and the fertilizing potential by sperm preincubation.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 1997

The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation of fertilizing ability following the morphologically normal sperm ratio in porcine IVF using epididymal sperm The results obtained in this experiment were summarized as follows: 1. When the penetration rate (PR), polysper my rate (PSR), pronuclei formation (2PNF) and mean number of sperm (MNS) per oocyte were evaluated according to the percentage of morphologically normal epididyrnal sperm at insemination($\leq$lO%, 10~30% and $\geq$50%). the PR and PSR of $\leq$50% group (82.4, 87.4%) were significantly higher than those of other two groups ($\leq$lO%; 29.7%, 22.6% and 10~30%; 20.3, 37.0%) (p<0.01). Also, the 2PNF per examined oocytes was significantly high in $\geq$ 50% group (p<0.01). 2. When the $\geq$50% group in epididymal sperm was adjusted to 100% (5x1$^5$ cells/ml) , the PSR and 2PNF were not different between epididymal sperm (86.7, 35.1%) and frozen-thawed ejaculated sperm (86.0. 39.4%) although the PR in epididymal sperm (79.7%) was significantly lower than that in frozen-thawed ejaculated sperm (95.5%)(p<0.01). 3. Also. when the PR, PSR, 2PNF and MNS of epididymal sperm were evaluated according to the oocyte: sperm ratio (1:6000, 1:6650. 1:7700 and 1: 10000) at insemination. the PR, PSR and MNS were increased as the oocyte:sperm ratio increases. However, this result indicated that the 2PNF was high in the oocyte:sperm ratio (1:6000 and 1:6650). Therefore. these results suggested that when the percentage of morphologically normal epididymal sperm was more than 50. the fertilizing a ability was very similar to that of frozen-thawed ejaculated sperm and that the detailed evalu¬a ation of morphological normality in porcine IVF using epididymal sperm should be prerequisite to obtain the more effective fertilizing ability.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2006

This study was conducted to compare the reproduction ability of the wild type boar and recombinant human erythropoietin (hEPO) transgenic boar semen. Ejaculated boar semen was analyzed by flow cytometry, Elisa and IVF methods. In experiment 1, flow cytometric analysis showed that the live sperm ratio of transgenic boar sperm significantly lower (P<0.05) than that of wild type boar after incubation at 20, 22, 24 and 26 hr. In experiment 2, the presence and levels of various cytokines (IL-6, IL-10 and $TNF-{\alpha}$) to related animal reproduction in the seminal and blood plasma were examined using specific enzyme immunoassay. There was no significant difference between both groups. In experiment 3, the fertilizing capacity and developmental ability of both boar sperm were compared. The transgenic boar sperm had a significantly low capacity of penetration, sperm-zona binding, embryo development, and blastocyst formation compared to wild type sperm (P<0.05). These results suggest that transgenic boar sperm harboring hEPO gene has low sperm viability than wild type boar, and it is a reason to decrease of fertility and litter size.