• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.287-294
• /
• 2011

The accelerated cooling rate associated with vitrification reduces injuries attributed to cryopreservation and improves the post-freezing developmental competence of vitrified embryos. In this study, embryos were vitrified and warmed and morphologically evaluated for their development to blastocysts. Survival rates between the fresh ($96.7%{\pm}3.8%$) and vitrified embryos ($90.7%{\pm}5.1%$) did not differ significantly (P>0.05). The mitochondrial membrane potential of fresh control cells measured by 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolyl carbocyanide iodide staining was similar to that of cryoprotected and vitrified embryos. Mitochondrial staining with rhodamine 123 did not differ among the fresh, cryoprotected, and vitrified embryos. Moreover, the distribution of $H_2O_2$, assessed by 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining, did not differ among the groups. The results showed that the developmental rate did not differ significantly among the fresh ($87.8%{\pm}11.3%$), cryoprotected ($83.2%{\pm}7.6%$), and vitrified 2-cell embryos ($75.8%{\pm}14.2%$). The mean number of the inner cell mass (ICM), trophectoderm (TE), and apoptotic cells was counted and statistically compared, and although the number of ICM and TE was decreased in the cryoprotected and vitrified embryos, there were no significant differences among the groups (P>0.05). During the cultivation period, randomly selected blastocysts from each group were stained using either 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole and bisbenzimide or the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick-end labeling technique. The incidence of apoptosis appeared to be almost identical in all the groups. Droplet vitrification could subsequently lead to high survival and developmental rates of cryopreserved mouse embryos.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.157-165
• /
• 1997

포유류 배반포배의 epiblast는 내세포괴에 포함되어 있으며, 이 epiblast cells이 배 및 태아의 생식세포와 일반 체세포로 분화된다 (Beddington, 1986; Lawson 등, 1991). 그런데 조기에 발달된 부화배반포기 배가 지연발생된 부화배반포기 배보다도 많은 epiblast cells을 가지고 있다고 한다(Talbot 등, 1995). 그래서 본 연구에서는 체외수정 유래의 배반포배의 발육속도에 따른 내세포괴/영양배엽세포의 비율 및 배아간세포 확립 효율을 비교하여 발달일령 간에 차이가 있는지를 규명하고자 하였다. 공시한 소의 난포란을 TCM-199에 0.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml FSH, 5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml LH, 10% FBS, 100 units/ml penicilin, 및 100$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml streptomycin을 첨가하여 39$^{\circ}C$, 5% CO2 조건하에서 24시간 동안 체외성숙한 후, 5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml heparin으로 수정능이 획득된 1$\times$106 sperm/ml의 정자로 체외수정을 유도하였다. 체외수정 후 18~20시간에 과립막세포를 vortexing으로 제거하여 얻은 모든 체외수정란을 3mg/ml BSA, 20${\mu}\ell$/ml NEM amino acids, 40${\mu}\ell$/ml BME amino acids, 10mM glycine 및 1mM alanine이 함유된 CR1aa 배양액에서 BRL 단층세포와 공배양을 실시하였다. 수정후 7, 8 및 9일재 (체외수정일 : 0일)에 확장배반포기까지 발달한 수정란을 이중염색 및 배아간세포의 확립 실험에 공시하였다. 체외수정후 24시간에 분할된 총 1,145개의 수정란이 7, 8 및 9일째에 후기 배반포기까지 각각 222(15.6%), 103(7.2%) 및 52(3.6%)로 발달하여 총 377개 (26.4%)가 발달하였다. 내세포괴/영양배엽세포의 비율은 7일 및 8일째 배반포배에서 각각 47.2$\pm$11.9/95.1$\pm$24.4개 (33/67%) 및 40.3$\pm$12.4/83.3$\pm$26.9개 (33/67%)로서 9일째 배반포배의 19.3$\pm$8.1/62.3$\pm$23.1개 (24/76%) 보다 유의적(P<0.05)으로 높았다. ES-like cells을 확립하기 위하여 후기배반포기 배를 mouse embryonic fibroblast 단층 공배양기에 옮긴 후 5일에 내세포괴의 부착 여부를 판정하고, 10일에 배아간세포의 확립 여부를 판정하였다. 그 결과 7, 8 및 9일째의 배반포기배의 각각 47.7% (82/172), 30.9%(22/71) 및 15.6%(5/32)에서 배아간세포가 확립되었다. 이상의 결과에서 배반포기까지의 발육이 빠른 수정란에서 영양배엽에 대한 내세포괴세포의 비율이 높았고 배아간세포의 확립율도 높다는 사실을 입증할 수 있었으며, 이와 같은 결과에서 체외수정란 유래 배반포배의 질을 결정할 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.335-347
• /
• 2016

Multiple interferon tau (IFNT) genes exist in bovine. An antiluteolytic substance secreted by the bovine conceptus and primarily responsible for maternal recognition of pregnancy is bovine trophoblast protein 1 (bIFNT1), a new type I interferon tau (IFNT) genes. The objectives of this research were to investigate whether multiple, distinct gene encode bIFNT1 and other type I bIFNT gene in the bovine genome and to examine expression of bIFNT1 and other bIFNTc1 mRNAs during conceptus development. These transcrips could be regulated through caudal-related homeobox-2 (CDX2) and ETS2 and/or AP1 (JUN) expression, a transcription factor implicated in the control of cell differentiation in the trophectoderm. The presence of mRNAs encoded by bIFNT1 and type I bIFNTc1 genes were examined quantitatively via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of total cellular RNA (tcRNA) extracted from on day 17, 20 and 22 bovine conceptuses. The expression level of bIFNT1 was higher on day 17 transcripts were gradually weakly detectable on day 20 and 22. However, the other bIFNTc1 gene examined transcripts was highly expressed on day 20 and transcripts were weakly detectable on day 17 and 22 bovine conceptuses. Furthermore, human choriocarcinoma JEG3 was co-transfected with an -1kb-bIFNT1/c1-Luc constructs and several transcription factor expression plasmids. Compared to each -1kb-bIFNT1/c1-Luc increased when this constructs were co-transfected with, ETS2, AP1(JUN), CREBBP and/or CDX2. Also, bIFNTc1 gene was had very effect on activity by alone ETS2, and AP1 (JUN) expression factors in choriocarcinoma JEG3 cell. However, bIFNT1 gene expression of the upstream region was not identified. We demonstrated that the activities of bIFN genes are regulated by differential, tissue-specific and developmental competence during pregnancy.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.241-248
• /
• 2003

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the survival rate of vitrified blastocyst according to the freezing vessels, equilibration time in cryoprotectant and artificial dehydration method. Methods: Human blastocysts were vitrified after loading onto the plastic straw, open-pulled straw (OPS), electron microscopy grid (EM grid) for 1.5 min or 3 min. They also were directly plunged into LN2 within 30sec. For artificial shrinkage of blastocysts, 36 gauge fine needle was pushed at the cellular junction of the trophectoderm into the blstocoele cavity until it shrank without damage of inner cell mass. Results: The survival rate of vitrified blastocysts on plastic straw, OPS, EM grid as freezing vessels were 26.7, 13.0 and 60.5%, respectively. The survival rate of EM grid was significantly higher than that of plastic straw and OPS (p<0.05). For 1.5 min equilibrium, the survival rates of early blastocyst (EB), middle blastocyst (MB) and late blastocyst (LB) were 64.4, 81.0, and 20.0% respectively. For 3 min equilibrium, the survival rates of EB, MB, and LB were 69.9, 50.0 and 57.5% respectively. The survival rates of EB and MB were significantly higher than that of LB in 1.5 min equilibrium group (p<0.05), however, the significance was not observed in 3 min equilibrium groups. In cytoplasmic shrinkage before vitrification, the survival rates of EB, MB and LB were 92.9, 100 and 75.9% respectively. The survival rate of MB was significantly higher than that of LB (p<0.05). The survival rates of vitrified blastocysts by artificial dehydration and slow-frozen blastocysts were not significantly different as 88.9 and 66.7%, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that the vitrification of human blastocysts using EM grid and artificial dehydration is an effective method. Therefore, these methods would be an useful techniques for blastocyst cryopreservation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.52-57
• /
• 2012

Objective: During IVF, non-transferred embryos are usually selected for cryopreservation on the basis of morphological criteria. This investigation evaluated an application for array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) in assessment of surplus embryos prior to cryopreservation. Methods: First-time IVF patients undergoing elective single embryo transfer and having at least one extra non-transferred embryo suitable for cryopreservation were offered enrollment in the study. Patients were randomized into two groups: Patients in group A (n=55) had embryos assessed first by morphology and then by aCGH, performed on cells obtained from trophectoderm biopsy on post-fertilization d5. Only euploid embryos were designated for cryopreservation. Patients in group B (n=48) had embryos assessed by morphology alone, with only good morphology embryos considered suitable for cryopreservation. Results: Among biopsied embryos in group A (n=425), euploidy was confirmed in 226 (53.1%). After fresh single embryo transfer, 64 (28.3%) surplus euploid embryos were cryopreserved for 51 patients (92.7%). In group B, 389 good morphology blastocysts were identified and a single top quality blastocyst was selected for fresh transfer. All group B patients (48/48) had at least one blastocyst remaining for cryopreservation. A total of 157 (40.4%) blastocysts were frozen in this group, a significantly larger proportion than was cryopreserved in group A (p=0.017, by chi-squared analysis). Conclusion: While aCGH and subsequent frozen embryo transfer are currently used to screen embryos, this is the first investigation to quantify the impact of aCGH specifically on embryo cryopreservation. Incorporation of aCGH screening significantly reduced the total number of cryopreserved blastocysts compared to when suitability for freezing was determined by morphology only. IVF patients should be counseled that the benefits of aCGH screening will likely come at the cost of sharply limiting the number of surplus embryos available for cryopreservation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.13-20
• /
• 1997

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of EGF on the preimplantation development of mouse IVF embryos and their ICM and TE cell number. And also, we examined the expression of EGF-R protein on embryonic development by indirect immunofluorescence. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows; Group culture (5 embryos/ 25 ${\mu}l$) showed more improved development rate to blastocyst than singly culture. This inferior development of singly cultured 2-cell embryos improved by the addition of EGF. Especially, 2-cell embryos cultured singly in 10 ng/ml of EGF (62.4%) indicated significant difference in development to blastocyst compared with control group (47.9%). Also, cell number of ICM and TE by differential labelling showed the increased pattern in the EGF treatment group. The stimulating effect of EGF with the development level was significantly increased after 4-cell stage (p<0.05). ICM proportion also showed the increased pattern with the developmental level in the EGF treatment group. In addition, expression of EGF-R by indirect immunofluorescence detected after 4-cell stage. Therefore, EGF could stimulate preimplantation mouse embryo development by binding with expressed EGE-R after 4-cell stage and produce the more increased ICM and TE cell number of blastocyst.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.229-237
• /
• 2004

The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of serum and gonadotropins supplement during in vitro maturation(IVM) of bovine oocytes on nuclear maturation and embryo development, and we also examine the cell number. 1 . The first polar body(PB) extrusion rates of Korean native cow(KNC) oocytes matured in medium with FBS or gonadotropins were similar among treatment groups. The development rate to the blastocyst stage was significantly higher in the group of both supplement FBS and gonadotropins(26.0％) than in the group of non-supplement(9.9％) and gonadotropins (12.0％). The numbers of inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) cells and total cell numbers of blastocysts were highest in the group of both supplement FBS and gonadotropins, and the number of ICM cells was increased by FBS supplementation (p<0.05). 2. The PB extrusion rates of KNC oocytes matured in medium with FBS in the different duration of IVM was significantly higher in the 0-18hr(63.1％) and in the 9-18hr(63.4％) group than in the 0-9hr.(37.4％) group (p<0.05). The embryo development rates did not differ among treatment groups. The numbers of TE cells and total cell numbers of blastocysts were similar among treatment groups, but the number of ICM cells of the 0-18h. group were significantly higher than the other treatment groups (p<0.05). The results indicate that although TCM199 alone can support bovine oocyte maturation and development to the blastocyst stage, a high quality of blastocysts can be produced from oocytes matured in medium containing serum and gonadotropins.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.638-645
• /
• 2013

Interferon-tau (IFNT) is thought to be the conceptus protein that signals maternal recognition of pregnancy in ruminants. We and others have observed that OCT4 expression persists in the trophectoderm of ruminants; thus, both CDX2 and OCT4 coexist during the early stages of conceptus development. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of CDX2 and OCT4 on IFNT gene transcription when evaluated with other transcription factors. Human choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells were cotransfected with an ovine IFNT (-654-bp)-luciferase reporter (-654-IFNT-Luc) construct and several transcription factor expression plasmids. Cotransfection of the reporter construct with Cdx2, Ets2 and Jun increased transcription of -654-IFNT-Luc by about 12-fold compared with transfection of the construct alone. When cells were initially transfected with Oct4 (0 h) followed by transfection with Cdx2, Ets2 and/or Jun 24 h later, the expression of -654-IFNT-Luc was reduced to control levels. OCT4 also inhibited the stimulatory activity of CDX2 alone, but not when CDX2 was combined with JUN and/or ETS2. Thus, when combined with the other transcription factors, OCT4 exhibited little inhibitory activity towards CDX2. An inhibitor of the transcriptional coactivator CREB binding protein (CREBBP), 12S E1A, reduced CDX2/ETS2/JUN stimulated -654-IFNT-Luc expression by about 40%, indicating that the formation of an appropriate transcription factor complex is required for maximum expression. In conclusion, the presence of OCT4 may initially minimize IFNT expression; however, as elongation proceeds, the increasing expression of CDX2 and formation of the transcription complex leads to greatly increased IFNT expression, resulting in pregnancy establishment in ruminants.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.51-57
• /
• 2008

The present study investigated the efficient methods to produce in vitro Hanwoo embryos, and to improve the pregnancy rate. The developmental rate, total cell number and ICM ratio of in vitro embryos were compared amongst different culture media. Comparisons were also made on the status of recipients, pregnancy rate along with day of transfer after the estrus. Development of embryos into blastocyst stage in IVMD101 supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) group was significantly higher (34.2%) than that of TCM-199 supplemented with 5% FBS (26.8%) and IVMD101 without FBS (25.9%) (p<0.05). The development rate to blastocyst stage was significantly faster in IVMD101(5% FBS) than that of other groups ($0.2{\sim}2.3%$) (p<0.05). The average number of inner cell mass and trophectoderm were similar among treatment groups, which were $36.0{\sim}44.7$ and $83.3{\sim}106.7$. However, total cell number in IVMD101(5% FBS and 0% FBS) was significantly higher than that of TCM199(5% FBS). There were no differences in the pregnancy rate among treatment groups (32.0%, 33.9% and 28.6%, respectively). However, the pregnancy rate of Day 6 embryos cultured in IVMD101(5% FBS) was significantly (p<0.01) higher than IVMD101 without FBS and TCM-199 + 5% FBS (38.0% vs. 17.2% and 32.4%, respectively). No significant difference was observed for the pregnancy rate between heifer and cow transferred with Day 6 embryos cultured in IVMD 101(5% FBS) (42.7% and 39.3%, respectively). However, there was a significant difference of pregnancy rate (p<0.05) in heifer between one and two embryos transferred (31.4% and 41.9%). There was no difference of pregnancy rate among transfer days after estrus between heifer and cow, but the pregnancy rate of transfer to heifer with day 6 after estrus was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of day 7 and 8 (22.2% vs. 49.0% and 38.7% respectively). Based on the above findings, there is a possibility to produce in vitro produced embryos cultured in IVMD101(5% FBS) showed higher blastocyst rate and the increased cell number. In terms of the pregnancy rate of in vitro produced embryos, the highest pregnancy rate was observed when two embryos were cultured in IVMD101(5% FBS) and transferred.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.215-220
• /
• 2007

This study was conducted to examine the establishment of bovine ES-like cells having pluripotency. The hatched blastocysts derived from culture of in vitro fertilized embryos for 10 to 12 days dissociated mechanically into ICM-and trophectoderm-rich clumps using needle, and cultured onto mitotically-inactivated MEF feeder layer. The primary colonies originated from ICM cells were detached mechanically 7 days after seeding and subsequent subculture was conducted at intervals of every 5 to 7 days. Two ES -like cell lines were established and maintained over 40 passages. Self-renewal of the established lines was confirmed by examining the alkaline phosphatase activity, stem cell-specific marker profiles including SSEA isotopes, Oct-4 and STAT3. Moreover, the established cell lines could produce anchorage-independent embryoid bodies (EBs) with gradual decrease of Oct-4 transcript level in time-dependent manner.