• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.22 no.1 s.35
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• pp.39-49
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• 2006

Ultrastructure of germ cell differentiation during supermatogenesis and the reproductive cycle in male Patinopecten yessoensis was studied by histological and cytological observations. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) in males rapidly increased and reached a maximum in April when seawater temperature gradually increased. Then the GSI gradually decreased from May through July when spawning occurred. Accordingly, monthly changes in the GSI in males coincided with testicular maturation and spawning periods. The sperm morphology of P. yessoensis belongs to the primitive type and showed general characteristics of external fertilization species. The head of the spermatozoon is approximately $3.50{\mu}m$ in length: the sperm nucleus and acrosome are approximately $2.90{\mu}m\;and\;0.60{\mu}m$ in length, respectively. The nuclear type of the spermatozoon is vase in shape, and the acrosome is cone type. The axoneme of the tail flagellum consists of nine pairs of microtubules at the periphery and a pair of central microtubules in the center The satellite body (which is formed by the centriole) and four mitochondria appear in the middle piece of the spermatozoon. The spawning period was from April through July and the main spawning occurred from May to June when seawater temperatures gradually increased. The reproductive cycle of this species can be classified into five successive stages; early active stage (September to November), late active stage (October to March), ripe stage (February to August), spawning stage (April to July), and spent/inactive stage (July to November).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.189-197
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• 2018

Objective: Hemicastration is a unilateral orchiectomy to remove an injured testis, which can induce hormonal changes and compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining testis, and may influence spermatogenesis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the impact of hemicastration on remaining testicular function. Methods: Prepubertal mice (age 24 days) were hemicastrated, and their growth was monitored until they reached physical maturity (age 72 days). Subsequently, we determined testis DNA methylation patterns using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing of normal and hemicastrated mice. Moreover, we profiled the testicular gene expression patterns by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to examine whether methylation changes affected gene expression in hemicastrated mice. Results: Hemicastration did not significantly affect growth or testosterone (p>0.05) compared with control. The genome-wide DNA methylation pattern of remaining testis suggested that substantial genes harbored differentially methylated regions (1,139) in gene bodies, which were enriched in process of protein binding and cell adhesion. Moreover, RNA-seq results indicated that 46 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in meiotic cell cycle, synaptonemal complex assembly and spermatogenesis were upregulated in the hemicastration group, while 197 DEGs were downregulated, which were related to arachidonic acid metabolism. Integrative analysis revealed that proteasome 26S subunit ATPase 3 interacting protein gene, which encodes a protein crucial for homologous recombination in spermatocytes, exhibited promoter hypomethylation and higher expression level in hemicastrated mice. Conclusion: Global profiling of DNA methylation and gene expression demonstrated that hemicastration-induced compensatory response maintained normal growth and testicular morphological structure in mice.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.192-202
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• 2000

Reproductive biology of the slimy, Leiognathus nuchalis was investigated by means of histological methods. Sex ratio was 1.81 : 1 in female to male. Developmental pattern of oocytes was group-synchronous. Testicular structure was restricted spermatogonial testis-type of tubular testis. The size of first group maturity is 7.5 cm in total length. Gonadosomatic index(GSI) of female was the highest in July(12.83) and the lowest in September(1.08). GSI of male was the highest in June(19.0) and the lowest in October(0.24). Hepatosomatic index(HSI) of female showed to be positively correlated with GSI. Thoracic spot index(TSI) showed to be the minimum value from May to July when the maturation and ripe season of gonad. Reproductive cycle of female could be classified into the growing(March~May), maturation(May~June), ripe and spent(June~August), recovery(August~November), and resting stage(November~March). Reproductive cycle of male could be classified into the multiplicative and growing(January~April), maturation(April~May), ripe and spent(June~August), recovery(August~October), and resting stage(October~December).

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.219-224
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• 2000

Reproductive biology of the naked-headed goby, Faronigobius gymnauchen was investigated by means of histological methods. The ovary was consisted of several ovarian lamellae and the oogonia originated from the inner surface of the ovarian lamella. The testis was seminiferous tubule One in internal structure. Seminiferous tubule was consisted of many testicular cysts which contained numerous germ cells in a same developmental stage. The size of group maturity was 4.5 cm intotal length. Gonadosomatic index(GSI) of the female and male was the highest in June and July, respectively. Reproductive cycle could be classified into the growing ($January{\~}March$), maturation ($April{\~}May$), ripe and spent (June{\~}July$), and recovery and resting ($August{\~}December$). Oocyte development was group-synchronous, and yolk nucleus was observed in the early growing oocyte.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2009

Spermatogenesis in male yellow croaker Larimichthys polyactis was histologically investigated by sampling testicular tissue from $2{\sim}3$ years old wild fishes captured from the coast of Mok-Po, South Korea. Spermatogenesis was characterized histologically, and staged according to the most advanced type of germ cell present. Annual reproductive cycle was classified into the following successive 4 stages: spermatogonia from August to September (rest stage), spermatogonia and spermatocytes from October to December (growth stage), spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids from January to February (maturation stage), spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids and spermatozoa from March to May (spermiation stage IV), and regressing testis from June to July (degeneration stage).

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.361-371
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• 2000

It has been recently reported that 2-bromopropane (2-BP) induces male reproductive toxicity in both human and experimental animals. However, delayed effects of 2-BP on male reproductive system have not been investigated in detail. The present study was conducted to investigate the testicular toxicity of 2-BP and to determine the recovery of normal spermatogenesis in Sprague-Dawley rats. Male rats aged 5 weeks were administered 1,000mg/kg 2-BP by gavage daily for 4 weeks and sacrificed sequentially at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 12 weeks after initiation of 2-BP treatment. Testicular toxicity was evaluated qualitatively by histopathological examinations and quantitatively by reproductive organ weights, spermatid head count, and repopulation index. In the 2-BP treated rats, the body weights was significantly suppressed and the weights of testes and epididymides were also decreased in a time-dependent manner. On histopathological examination, spermatogonia in stages I-VI and preleptotene and leptotene spermatocytes in stages VII-IX were strongly depleted at 1 week of dosing. Spermatogonia were depleted extensively in all spermatogenic stages at 2 weeks. Continuing with the evolution of spermatogenic cycle, zygotene spermatocytes, pachytene spermatocytes, and round spermatids were sequentially depleted at 2, 3, and 4 weeks of dosing due to the depletion of their precursor cells. Vacuolization of Sertoli cells and spermatid retention were also observed at all time points, suggesting that 2-BP induced Sertoli cell dysfunction. At 12 weeks, after 8 weeks recovery, most of the tubules appeared severely atrophic and were lined by Sertoli cells only. Leydig cell hyperplasia in the interstitial tissue was also found. In addition, dramatic reductions in the number of spermatid heads and repopulation index were observed, indicating that 2-BP-induced testicular injury is irreversible. These results indicate that 4 weeks repeated-dose of 1,000mg/kg 2-BP results in a progressive germ cell loss due to the depletion of spermatogonia followed by long-term testicular atrophy in SD rats.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.475-485
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• 1998

To clarify annual reproductive cycle of Koran dark sleeper, odontobutis platycephala, we examined the seasonal changes of gonadosomatic index(GSI), testicular development stages and sex steroid hormones in blood from December 1995 to November 1997. Testis was podlike shape from July to October, and tadpole-like shape from November because of its expanded posterior part. GSI was 0.14~0.18 from July to September and increased to $0.43{\pm}0.04$ in October and then was not changed significantly until February. GSI was reincreased to $0.52{\pm}0.09$ from March and then was kept at similer levels until May, but fell down to $0.28{\pm}0.05$ in June. As results of histological observation, testis was divided into 3 parts(anterior, boundary, posterior) in the development progress of germ cells. In July, the testis was composed of only spermatogonia without seminiferous tubules in most fishes. In the anterior part of testis, the ferquency of spermatogenesis stage seminiferous tubules appearing in August was more than 80% from September to December. decreased gradually from January to March and drastically in April, and then disappeared in June. The frequency of spermiogenesis stage seminiferous tubules appearing in December, increased gradually from January to March and drastically to 80% in April, and reached to 90% the highest levels of the year in June. Post-spawning stage seminiferous tubules did not appear throughout the year. The frequency of spermatogonia was 100% and 65% in July and August, and less than 20% in the rest period of the year. In the boundary part, the frequency of spermatogenesis stage seminiferous tubules appearing in August increased from September and reached to 82% in November, decreased from December, adn disappeared in March. The frequency of spermiogenesis stage seminiferous tubules appearing in November was less than 18% until February, and increased to 29%~57% from March to June. The frequency of post-spawning stage seminiferous tubules appeared 12%~25% only from March to June. The frequency of spermatogonia was 100% in July, decreased to 85% in August and 10% in November, and increased gradually from December to 50% in April, and decreased again from May to June. In the posterior part, seminiferous tubules with some seminiferous tubules increased drastically 80%~85% in August and September, decreased drastically from October to November and remained below 10% until February, and disappeared after March. The frequency of spermiogenesis stage seminiferous tubules appearing in August increased sharply from October and reached to 75% in November. decreased to 15% in December and no significant changes until March, and disappeared after April. The frequency of post-spawning stage seminiferous tubules appearing very early in November increased to 82% in December and 85%~95% until June. The frequency of spermatogonia was 100% in July, decreased drastically to 15% in August, disappeared from October to Mrch, but reappeared from April and kept at less than 10% until June. The blood level of testosterone (T) increrased gradually from August was $0.61{\pm}0.09 ng/m\ell$ in November, increrased drastically to $3.99{\pm}1.22 ng/m\ell$ in December and maintained at in similar level until March, and decreased to $0.25{\pm}0.14 ng/m{\ell} ~ 0.17{\pm}0.13ng/m{\ell}$ in April and May and no significant changes until July (P<0.05). The blood level of 17, 20 -dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one $ng/m{\ell}$in the rest of year without significant changes(P<0.05). Taken together these results, the germ cell development of testis progressed in the order of posterior, boundary, anterior part during annual reproductive cycle in Korean dark sleeper. The testicular cycle of Korean dark sleeper was as follows. The anterior part of testis : i.e. spermatogonial proliferation period (July), early maturation period (from August to November), mid maturation period (from December to March), late maturation period (from April to May) and functional maturation period (June) were elucidated. The boundary of testis, i.e. spermatogonial proliferation period (July), early maturation period (from August to October), mid maturation period (from November to February) and the coexistence period of late maturation, functional maturation and post-spawn (from March to June) were elucidated. The posterior of testis, i.e. spermatogonial proliferation period (July), mid maturation period (from August ot September), late maturation period (October), functional maturation period (November) and post-spawn period (from December to June) were elucidated. It was showed that the changes of sex steroid hormone in blood played a important roles in the annual reproductive cycle of Korean dark sleeper.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.243-252
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• 1985

The mechanism of reproductive cycle of longchin goby Chasmichthys dolichognathus was investigated for the annual variations of gonadosomatic index(GSI), histological changes of gonad, reproductive cycle, and initiating and terminating factors of the breeding season. The experimental fish were captured in the tide pool of Tongbaeksom, Pusan, Korea from February 1983 to September 1984. Experimental fish for the study of initiating and terminating factors of the breeding season were maintained in filtered recirculating aquariums and exposed to various temperature and photoperiod regimes. The ovary is a pair of sac-shaped organ, and the testicular structure is tubular and it is connected to the seminal vesicle which is located at the posterior end of the testis. GSI began to increase from February when the water temperature began to increase and reached peak in April. It began to decrease from August, the top water temperature season, and maintained relatively low values until January. The annual reproductive cycle includes successive six developmental stages : early growing from December to February, late growing from January to March, early mature from February to May, late mature and ripe from March to August, spawning from April to July, degeneration and resting stage from May to December. An experimental study based on the reproductive cycle of this species indicated that rising temperature under long photoperiod during spring stimulated gonadal maturation, whereas terminating factor of the breeding season with recrudescence of the gonads was demonstrated as high water temperature during summer regardless of photoperiod.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2003

Reproductive cycle, gonadal development and the spawning period of the Korean anchovy Coilia nasus were investigated by histologhical observations. Samples were collected at the coastal area of Geumgang dyke which is connected to Gunsan and Janghang, Korea, from February 2002 to January 2003. C. nasus is dioecious; the ovary consists of a pair of saccular structure with many ovarian lobules, and the testis consists of a pair of lobular structure with many testicular lobules and connected to the posterior seminal vesicle. Monthly changes in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) began to increase in April when seawater temperature increased and reached the maximum in June when the ovary was getting mature, the summer season of longer day length with higher water temperature. The reproductive cycle can be classified into five successive stage in females: early growing stage (February to March), late growing stage (March to April), mature stage (May to June), ripe and spent stage (June to July), and recovery and resting stage (July to January): in males, the cycle can be divided into four successive stages; growing stage (February to April), mature stage (May to July), ripe and spent (June to July), and recovery and resting stages (July to January). According to the frequency distributions of egg diameters in the spawning season. C. nasus is presumed to be summer spawning species and polycyclic species to spawn 2 times or more during the spawning season.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.323-328
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• 2007

SOX (Sry-related HMG box) family proteins, which have an evolutionarily conserved DNA binding domain, have crucial roles in cell differentiation. However, their target genes remain enigmatic. Some members of the SOX family may have roles in regulation of cell proliferation. We established stable NT2/D1 cell lines overexpressing SOX15 (SOX15-NT2/D1), and a modified 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay showed that the SOX15-NT2/D1 cells exhibited significantly slower growth than the controls. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that an increased fraction of the SOX15-NT2/D1 cells were in G1-G0. In addition, a microarray analysis identified 26 genes that were up-regulated in the SOX15-NT2/D1 cells, but none that were down-regulated genes. Among the up-regulated genes, IGFBP5, S100A4, ID2, FABP5, MTSS1, PDCD4 have been shown to be related to cell proliferation and/or the cell cycle.