• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 1997

This study was carried out to increase the viability of bovine frozen4hawed in vitro produced (IVP) embryos and pregnancy rate by direct transfer method. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were aspirated from excised Hanwoo ovaries and matured in TGM 199 for 20~22 hours at 38.5$^{\circ}C$ in 2% $CO_2$ in air. Matured oocytes were fertilized with capacitated sperm for 6 hours and then co-cultured with cumulus cells for 9 days. 63% of the oocytes cultured was deaved and 29% out of them developed into blastocysts. Good or excellent grade of blastocysts on D 7 or 8 were frozen with 1.8M ethylene glycol as a cryoprotectant for direct transfer. Frozen embryos were thawed at 2$0^{\circ}C$ water for 10 sec following 4~5 second in air. For the survival assay of frozen4hawed lVP blastocysts, they were cultured in TCM 199 supplemented with 100$\mu$M $\beta$-mercaptoethanol and 20% FCS for 72 hours. The percentage of embryos developed to re-expanded or hatched after 72 hours culture was 95. 5 and 77.3%, respectively. When frozen-thawed Ivp embryos were transferred to 43 synchronized recipients by direct transfer method, eighteen recipients (41.8%) was pregnant. The highest pregnant was in naturafly synchronized recipients (71.4%), but induced estrus by using PRID(29.2%) and PGF$_2$$\alpha$(20.0%) was showed lower pregnancy rate. The pregnancy rate was higher in day 7 blastocysts(56.0%) than day 8 blastocysts(22.2%). (Key words: in vitro produced, blastocyst, frozen-thawed, direct transfer)

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.4
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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.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 1997

The present study was designed to define the role of prostaglandin in the development and hatching of mouse embryo. The effects of indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, on the development and hatching of morula and blastocyst were examined. In early morula stage, embryos were degenerated significantly at 100 ${\mu}M$ and 200 ${\mu}M$ indomethacin. However, the viability of embryos was not influenced by concentration in any other embryonic stages. In all embryonic stages, the hatching was suppressed with concentration dependent manner, but expansion was not suppressed. Particularly, in 84h embryos post hCG injection, the hatching was suppressed significantly compared with post hCG 72h or 96h embryos. When embryos were treated with 100 ${\mu}M$ indomethacin for a specific time (12h) in according to the development stage, the hatching was suppressed all groups. These suppressional effect was decreased as embryonic development stage was progressed. However, the expansion was not affected in all treatment group. This study suggests that hatching-related metabolic substances are synthesized from morula stage and intraembryonic signaling mediated prostaglandin was important for development and hatching of mouse embryo.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 1990

This study was carried out in order to investigate effects of cryoprotectant concentration and equilibration time on survival of ultrarapidly frozen 2-cell mouse embryos. Mouse 2-cell embryos, following dehydration by exposure to DMSO and sucrose, were directly immersed into liquid nitrogen and thawed in 37$^{\circ}C$ water. Viability was defined by development rate to the blastocyst stage after in vitro culture for 72 hours. The results are summarized as follows ; 1. When 0.25M of sucrose was added into the freezing medium at various concentrations of DMSO and dilution medium, higher development rate of embryo was obtained in 3.0M DMSO concentrations (82.6%). However, when sucrose concentraitons of 0.25 and 0.5 M were added to the freezing medium with 3.0 M DMSO and dilution medium, development rate of embryos were 81.7% and 24.1%, respectively. 2. In the equilibration time at room temperature, higher development rate was attained after short period of time (2.5min) in 3.0 M DMSO＋0.25 M sucrose (85.9%). 3. The development rate of embryos at in vitro 2-cell, in vitro 2-cell, solution control and untreated control was 84.6%, 90.9%, 89.9%,, and 89.7%, respectively.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 2002

The experiment was divided into two phases. In phase-I fresh embryos were transferred and in Phase-II frozen embryos were transferred. Embryos were collected by using Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline. In phase-I total of 65 ova were collected out of 107 ovulation in 18 goats. Recovery of ova was 60.74％, of which 51 (78.46％) was fertilized. Sixteen embryos were transferred to 10 recipient goats and kidding was observed in 6 goats, that produced 10 kids. Thus, 62.50％ embryo survival and 60％ kidding were achieved in phase-I. In phase-II of the experiment, 17 regular cyclic Black Bengal goats were used. The main purpose was to study the viability of caprine embryos after cryopreservation. In this phase the embryos were collected and frozen using Bio-cool freezers. A two step addition of cryoprotectants (5％ glycerol and 10％ glycerol) and three-step dilution of cryoprotectants with 1mole (M) sucrose was used. Embryos were preserved for 10 to 45 days. Out of 27 embryos preserved, 18 were recovered after freezing and thawing (37$^{\circ}C$ water bath) with 33.33％ embryonic loss. Seventeen frozen and thawed embryos were transferred in 9 recipient goats, out of which kidding was observed in 6 goats and 7 kids were produced, giving a 66.66％ kidding and embryo survival of 41.17％. The technique utilized for fresh and frozen embryo transfer can be successfully utilized to produce goats of superior genetic merits. The protocol used for addition of cryoprotectant, freezing, thawing and dilution was found suitable for caprine embryo freezing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.83-83
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the warming temperature and exposed time on the post-thaw survival rate and viability of bovine blastocyst cryopreserved by GMP vitrification. Groups of three bovine IVP blastocysts were sequentially placed into vitrification solution before being loaded into the GMP straws and immersed into LN$_2$within 20 to 25 sec. The warming rate was increased 2 times of warming temperature for improvement of post-thaw survival rates. The frozen embryos were warmed either at 35 or 70$^{\circ}C$ for 1 or 2 sec and then diluted in sucrose solution. Post-thaw blastocysts were serially washed in 0.25 and 0.15 M sucrose in holding medium (HM: TCM199 supplemented with 10% FCS) and TCM-199 for each 5 min, respectively, and then cultured in TCM199 for 24 h. The rate of re-expanded blastocyst was significantly different fer 35 and 70$^{\circ}C$ warming temporature (76.4 vs. 89.3%; P<0.05). The rate of re-expanded blastocyst at 70$^{\circ}C$ for 1 sec was significantly higher than that for 2 sec (91.1 vs. 70.9%; P<0.05). The number of nuclei counted were significantly different among control, 35 and 70$^{\circ}C$ (121${\pm}$8.5 vs. 104${\pm}$11.7 vs. 114${\pm}$10.3; P<0.05). These results indicated that the increasing of warming rate can provide high survival rates of bovine IVP blastocysts. Especially, the best viability of post-thaw blastocyst could be thaw at 70$^{\circ}C$ for 1 sec. The warming temperature and exposed time far warming was considered to be limiting factors to the viability of bovine IVP embryos. he purpose of this study was to investigate the warming temperature and expose.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.195-199
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of the conventional slow freezing and vitrification methods for cryopreserving in vivo and in vitro-produced bovine embryos. Morphology of post-thawed embryos was evaluated and normal embryos were used for successive culture for 72 h. In experiment I, In embryo viability, There was no significant differences in blastocyst re-expansion rates were found between in vivo and in vitro embryos(89.6% vs. 81.5%). whereas hatched-BL and total cell number rates was significantly higher (p<0.05) for in vivo-derived embryos (76.9%, 136${\pm}$3.6 vs. 43.4%, 107${\pm}$3.8). In experiment II, There was no significant differences in blastocyst re-expansion and Expansion-BL rates were found between in slow freezing and vitrification methods (91.3% vs. 85.7% and 71.4% vs. 75.0%, respectively). in conclusion, These results suggested that the field application for bovine embryo transfer is in part supported by improvements of technologies in embryo conventional slow freezing and vitrification cryopreservation.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2013

Oreorchis coreana Finet is threatened globally by over-collection from its natural habitats for horticultural purposes. Its rarity in nature makes this plant one of the most endangered species in Korea. In this study, we investigated the effects of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) on orchid seed viability and seed germination. An in vitro bioassay swelling test using immature seeds was compared with a standard chemical procedure using triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) to test seed viability. In general, the bioassay was more appropriate for estimating embryo viability after a prolonged pre-treatment (more than 1 h) in 1% NaOCl, a surface sterilant often used to enhance germination of seeds of terrestrial plants. Therefore, an efficient method for investigating in vitro swelling of immature seeds is urgently needed. We established a method for determining the viability and swelling of O. coreana seeds via in vitro examination of immature seeds. Treatment of immature seeds with 1% NaOCl for 10 min greatly enhanced the extent of swelling of immature zygote embryos when compared to untreated seeds. These data obtained here appear to be comparable to viability and swelling that occurs in O. coreana seeds via asymbiotic germination.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.269-273
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• 2012

The present study was to assess the in vitro viability and sexing rate of bovine embryos. Blastocysts were harvested on day 7~9 day after insemination(in vitro and in vivo), and the sex of the embryos was examined using the LAMP method. Embryo cell biopsy was carried out in a $80{\mu}l$ drop $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ free D-PBS and, biopsied embryos viability were evaluated after more 12 h culture in IVMD culture medium. The formation of recovered embryo to expanded and hatching stages had ensued in higher of sexed embryo in vivo than in vitro (100% vs. 89%, p<0.05), and in vitro, the rates of degeneration after sexing were significantly (p<0.05) higher in vitro than in vivo(11% vs. 0.0%). The rates of the predicted sex were female 61% vs. 56%, and male 39% vs. 44% in vivo and in vitro, respectively. The rates of survival following different biopsy methods were seen between punching and bisection method in vivo and in vitro (100% vs. 89% and 100% vs, 78% respectively). Biopsy method by punching was significantly (p<0.05) higher than bisection between produced embryos in vivo and in vitro. The present data indicate that with microblade after punching for embryo sexing results in high incidence of survivability on development after embryo biopsy. It is also suggested that LAMP-based embryo sexing suitable for field applications.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.253-259
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• 2000

Objective: To verify the effect of Matrigel, a ECM complex from Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) mouse sarcoma on the preimplantation development and apoptosis of mouse fertilized eggs. Method: Late pronucleus stage eggs were cultured through the blastocyst stage in the presence of Matrigel (0.5%, v/v). Characteristics of apoptosis and cell number assesed by Hoecst staining and TUNEL labeling at the blastocyst stage, respectively. Results: Morphological development, number of cells per embryo was significantly increased but rate and number of TUNEL positive nuclei of the embryo were decreased in the presence of Matrigel. Conclusion: This result suggested that at low concentration of Matrigel improves both viability and morphological development in the preimplantation mouse embryos.