• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.419-432
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• 1999

Objective: To establish the evaluation system of the quality of oocytes on the basis of the incidence of cumulus cells apoptosis, to investigate the relationships beween the incidence of cumulus cells and the outcomes of IVF-ET. Method: Thirth-four cycles undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for IVF-ET with tubal infertility (23 cycles) or unexplained infertility (11 cycles) were included in this study. Cumulus cell masses surrounding mature oocyte and co-culture of embryos with autologous cumulus cells during IVF-ET process. The incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells was assessed by apoptosis detection kit fluorescein. The effect of co-culture using cumulus cells and the incidence of cumulus cells apoptosis. Results: The results were as follows: 1. The incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells markedly increased in patients aged 40 or over, while the fertilization rate was greatly decreased in those age group. 2. Apoptosis in cumulus cells was found in both the fertilized oocytes and unfertilized oocytes, but the incidence of apoptosis was higher in unfertilized oocytes. 3. There is no clear correlation between apoptosis in cumulus cells and the number of oocytes retrieved. However, the incidence of apoptosis was increased when the number of oocytes retrieved was 5 and fewer in comparison with $6{\sim}10$. 4. Embryo grade was significantly affected by the incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells. 5. Pregnancy rate of IVF-ET per cycle was 29.4%, and the pregnant group had the higher fertilization rate and a significantly lower incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells compared with the nonpregnant group. 6. When cumulus cells were used as helper cells in the co-culture of the embryo, in vitro activity of cumulus cells based on morphological change and proliferation did not influence the quality of embryo, but was closely associated with the implantation rate and pregnancy rate, which was enhanced when morphological changes and proliferation of cumulus cells was more active. 7. This difference in the outcome of IVF-ET according to in vitro activity of cumulus cells used for co-cultue was not associated with the incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells; but rather had likely relations with the different secretion pattern of protein, which may be an embryo trophic factor by cumulus cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that the incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells can be used in predicting oocyte qualities and the outcomes of IVF-ET. And the effect of co-culture largely depends on the in vitro activity of cumulus cells as well.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.329-337
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• 2003

The functional role of the cumulus cells on sperm penetration and polyspermy during in vitro fertilization was examined. The penetration rate was significantly higher(p<0.01) in oocytes with(61%) than without(25%) cumulus cells. No significant differences, however, was observed in polyspermy. When the hyaluronidase was supplemented to the fertilization medium with different concentrations, penetration rates in oocytes with cumulus cells were higher than oocytes without cumulus cells at 0(61 vs 34% ; p<0.05), 0.01(56 vs 35% ; p<0.05), 0.1(66 vs 30% ; p<0.05) and 1.0 mg/$m\ell$(39 vs 27%). On the other hand, the polyspermy rates were lower oocytes without than with cumulus cells, and had a tendency to decrease with high concentrations of hyaluronidase. In another experiment, the penetration and polyspermy rates had a tendency to increase as time of sperm-oocytes culture was prolonged. At 16 and 20hrs after insemination, the penetration rates were significantly higher(p<0.05) in oocytes with(48 and 62% for 16 and 20hrs) than without(25 and 31% for 16 and 20hrs) cumulus cells in medium with hyaluronidase. However, the polyspermy rates were significantly(p<0.05) lower in oocytes without(3 and 16%) than with(37 and 48%) cumulus cells at 16 and 20hrs after insemination. In cumulus-free oocytes inseminated in medium with or without hyaluronidase at different concentrations of cumulus cells, the penetration rates were significantly(p<0.05) higher in medium with than without hyaluronidase at different concentrations of cumulus cells. The proportions of polyspermy were lower in medium without than with hyaluronidase at 0 (10 vs 0%), 10$^2$(25 vs 0%), 10$^4$(24 vs 14%) and 10$\^$6/(29 vs 10% ; p<0.05) cumulus cells/ml. These results suggest the advantage of culture in medium with cumulus cells and denuded oocytes to inhibit polyspermy with no decrease in the penetration rates during the fertilization in vitro in the porcine.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.93-100
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• 1990

These experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of rabbit anti-bovine cumulus cell antibodies on in vitro maturation of bovine follicular oocytes. Antisera to bovine cumulus cell were produced Japanese Ginat rabbit by repeated immunization of intact or solubilized bovine cumulus cell and purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and Sepharose CL-4B protein-A affinity chromatography. The bovine cumulus cell-specific antibodies were confirmed by indirect ELISA. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows : 1. The titer of the antibodies to cumulus cell determined by indirect ELISA using intact or solubilized bovine cumulus cell coated plates was very high in both intact and solubilized cumulus cells. Namely, the optical density at 1:12,800 dilution of antibodies was still significantly higher than that of non-immunized control serum. 2. When the follicular oocytes were treated with antibody to intact cumulus cells, the maturation rate of cumulus compacted and removed oocytes was ranged 47.6 to 59.1%. These value is significantly lower(p<0.05) than that(78.8%) of follicular oocytes cultured without the antibody. 3. the maturation rate of cumulus compacted and removed oocytes treated with antibody to solubilized cumulus cells was ranged 46.7 to 59.1%, significantly lower(p<0.05) than that(82.1%) of ooyctes cultured in antibody free medium. From above mentioned results, it could be said that cumulus cells promote nuclear maturation of follicular oocytes and that the beneficial effect of cumulus cells to the oocyte maturation is inhibited by the action of antibody to cumulus cells.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.317-320
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• 1995

The effect of co-culture with cumulus cells and granulosa cells during maturation and development on in vitro developmental potency of follicular oocytes was examined. TCM-199 supplemented with 15% FCS and hormones was used as maturation medium. Sperm from frozen semen was capacitated in modified mTALP medium containing 0.3% BSA, $10{\mu}g/ml$ heparin and 5 mM/ml caffeine. The fertilized embryos were co-cultured on monolayer of cumulus cells or granulosa cells in TCM-199. The embryo co-cultured with cumulus cells showed higher percentage of embryo developed to morula and blastocyst (73.3%) than the embryo co-cultured without cumulus cells (30.8%). The percentage of oocytes developed to morula and blastocyst among cleaved oocytes was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the oocytes co-cultured with cumulus cells during development (62.4%) than in the oocytes co-cultured with granulosa cells during maturation and with cumulus cells during development (52.3%), and in the oocytes co-cultured with granulose cells during development (52.8%). The results of this study indicate that co-culture of in vitro fertilized embryos with cumulus cells in the development medium increased the rate of embryos developed to morula and blastocyst among cleaved oocytes.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.185-196
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• 1990

These experiments were performed to know ultrastructural changes of the cumulus expansion in virot. SEM:In expanded oocyte-cumulus complex, the cell surface are characterized by the presence of many evaginations:they are relatively short and round shape. The mucous extracellular material were deposited between cumulus cells. TEM:In compact cumulus cells, golgi apparatus and rough endoplasmic reticulum developed. In expanded cumulus cells, rough endoplasmic reticulum decreased and the smooth endoplasmic reticulum increased. Also, there were numbers of mitochondria. Extracellular mucous material which is presumed to be hyaluronic acid appears when cumulus cell were expanded. In expanded cumulus cell, numbers of smooth endoplasmic reticulum help cumulus cell to develop in steroidogenic cell.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.169-173
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• 2010

Correlations between cumulus cells and germinal vesicle (GV) chromatin configuration were examined in porcine oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from 2~6 mm follicles and divided into three categories according to cumulus cell morphology. "A" group was compacted COCs with more than three cumulus cell layers. "B" group was COCs with less cumulus cell layers than "A" group. "C" group was COCs with one or less layer of cumulus cells. Cumulus cells were removed 0.1% hyaluronidase, and denuded oocytes were stained with Hoechst 33342. GV chromatin configuration was classified into GV-Con and GV-Dis. GV-Con meant that a nucleus was surrounded by condensed chromatin in a ring. GV-Dis meant that filamentous chromatin clumps were distributed in nucleus. The proportion (80.2%) of GV-Con in "A" group was significantly higher than "B" (62.0%) or "C" (44.9%). The proportion (55.1%) of GV-Dis in "C" group was significantly higher than "A" (19.8%) or "B" (38.0%). The meiotic competence of COCs was examined after 44 h culture. The proportion (90.0%) of oocytes reaching to metaphase II (M-II) in "A" group was significantly higher than "B" (76.5%) or "C" (45.5%). In conclusion, oocytes with good quality cumulus cell layers are synchronized early GV stage, and early GV stage is important for meiotic competence in pigs.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.133-139
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• 1993

The studies were carried out to investigate the effects of co-culture with cumulus cell, oviduct epithelial cells and uterine endometrial cells on the in-vitro fertilization and cleavage rate of porcine follicular oocytes. The ovaries were obtained from slaughtered swine. The follicular oocytes surrounded with cumulus cells were recovered by aspirating follicular fluids from the visible follicles of diameter 3~5 mm. The follicular oocytes were cultured in TCM-199 medium containing hormones and 10% FCS for 24~48 hrs in a incubator with 5% CO2 in air at 38.5$^{\circ}C$ and then matured oocytes were again cultured for 12~18 hrs with motile capacitated sperm by preincubation. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows : 1. The in-vitro maturation and fertilization rate of porcine oocytes co-cultured with cumulus cells in TCM-199 meidum were 64.6%~74.5% and 37.5%~55.3%, respectively. And in-vitro fertilization rate of cumulus-enclosed oocytes(51.5%) were significantly(p<0.05) higher than cumulus-denuded oocytes(21.7%). 2. The in-vitro maturation and fertilization rate of porcine oocytes co-cultured with 1$\times$104 cells/ml, 1$\times$106 cells/ml, 1$\times$108 cells/ml and 1$\times$1015 cells/ml oviduct epithelial cells in TCM-199 medium were 53.5% and 37.2%, 61.7% and 46.8%, 54.5% and 31.8%, 42.2% and 26.7%, respectively. 3. The in-vintro maturation and fertilization rate of porcine oocytes co-cultured with 1$\times$106/ml, 1$\times$108/ml, 1$\times$1015/ml uterine endometrial cells in TCM-199 medium were 54.3% and 39.1%, 58.3% and 43.8%, 55.5% and 33.3%, and 45.7% and 30.4%, respectively. 4. When the in-vitro fertilized oocytes were co-cultured with porcine cumulus cells, ovdiduct epithelial cells and uterine endometrial cells, the development rate to the blastocyst stage was 9.5%, 10.7% and 11.8%, respectively and the rates were higher than that of control, 2.1%(p<0.05).

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.135-141
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• 2006

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of cumulus cells and porcine follicular fluid (pFF) on plasminogen activator (PA) activity and oocytes maturation in vitro in the pig. The cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) and denuded oocytes (DOs) were incubated in NCSU-23 medium with or without 10% pFF for 0, 24, or 48 hr. In the presence of cumulus cells, the proportions of oocytes matured to metaphase-II stage were significantly (P<0.05) higher in medium with pFF than without pFF (69.8 vs. 37.7%, respectively). When COCs and DOs were cultured in the presence of pFF, tissue-type PA (tPA), urokinase-type PA (uPA), and tPA-PA inhibitor (tPA-PAI) were observed in COCs, and PA activities were higher at 48 hr than 24 hr. When COCs and DOs were cultured in the absence of pFF, tPA and tPA-PAI were observed in COCs, and PA activities were increased as duration of culture increased. No PA activities were detected in DOs regardless of pFF supplementation. When porcine oocytes were cultured in the presence of pFF for 24 and 48 hrs, the activities of tPA-PAI, tPA, and uPA were observed in both COCs and DOs. In medium of absence of pFF, PA activities were observed in oocytes with cumulus cells only. On the other hand, three plasminogen-dependent lytic bands (tPA-PAI, tPA, and uPA) were observed in pFF cultures. Particularly uPA activity was higher than the other kinds of PA activity. When oocytes and cumulus cells were separated from porcine COCs at 0 hr of culture, tPA-PAI, tPA, and uPA were detected in cumulus cells at 48 hr of culture, but no PA activities were in DOs. The presence of pFF and cumulus cells in maturation medium stimulated not only nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation in porcine COCs, but also PA production by cumulus cells and COCs. It is possible that PAs produced by cumulus cells migrated through the gap junction between oocyte and cumulus cells. These results suggest that porcine oocytes have no ability to produce PA themselves.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.239-245
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• 1999

본 연구는 돼지난자의 체외성숙시 난구세포와 cat-alase의 영향을 검토하고저 수행되었다. 체외성숙율은 catalase의 첨가유무에 관계없이 유의적인 차이는 인정되지 않았으나, 난구세포가 부착된 난자가 제거된 난자에 비해 유의적으로 높은 성숙율을 나타냈다 (P＜0.05). 또한 48시간 (57%) 동안 난구세포가 부착된 경우 단지 처음 24시간 (42%) 동안만 난구세포가 부착된 경우에 비하여 유의적으로 높은 성숙율을 나타냈다 (P＜0.05). 한편, 난구세포가 부착 또는 제거된 난자의 성숙시 처음 24시간 동안보다는 후반기 24시간 동안 catalase를 첨가한 경우 유의적으로 높은 성숙율을 나타냈으며 (P＜0.05), 난구세포를 제거한 경우 성숙배양 24시간에서 M-II기로 성숙된 난자가 관찰되었다. 그러나 난구세포가 부착된 난자를 72시간 성숙배양 했을 때, catalase 무첨가 (65%)보다는 첨가시(79%) 유의적으로 높은 성숙율을 나타냈다. 본 연구의 결과로부터 난구세포는 돼지난자의 체외성숙시 필수적인 것으로 인정되며, catalase는 첨가시기에 따라 난자의 성숙에 효과적으로 작용하였으며, 체외성숙시 난자의 노화를 방지할 수 가능성이 있는 것으로 추측된다.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.323-331
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• 1999

본 연구는 돼지난자의 체외성숙동안 insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)과 난구세포의 영향을 검토하기 위하여 실시하였다. 미성숙난자를 0(60%), 1(61%), 5(62%) 및 l0ng/$m\ell$(72%)의 서로 다른 IGF-I의 농도로 첨가하여 배양했을 때 체외성숙율은 큰 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 또한 10ng/$m\ell$의 IGF-I이 첨가된 배양액내에서 난자를 배양한 경우, 난구세포부착시 (68%) 제거 (52%)된 난자에 비해 높은성숙율을 나타냈지만 유의적인 차이는 인정되지 않았다. 그러나 IGF-I이 첨가되지 않은 경우에는 난구세포 부착 (63%) 난자가 제거 (32%)된 난자에 비해 유의적 (P＜0.05)으로 높은 성숙율을 나타냈으며, IGF-I를 성숙 배양기간중 전반기 24시간 또는 후반기 24시간 동안만 첨가했을 때의 난구세포 부착시 (61과 49%) 제거된 (45 와 49%) 난자에 비해 높은 성숙융올 나타냈다. 한편, IGF-I의 존재 여부에 관계없이 FCS와 돼지난포액 (PFF)이 무첨가된 배양액에서 48시간동안 또는 배양전반기 24시간동안 난구세포를 제거한 경우 (16과 18%)로 난구세포 부착시 (46과 63%)에 비해 유의적 (P＜0.01)으로 낮은 성숙율을 나타냈다. 이와 같은 결과는 난구세포가 IGF-I의 존재 유무에 관계없이 난자의 체외성숙에 필수적이며, FCS와 PFF 첨가시 난구세포가 제거된 난자의 체외성숙을 촉진하는 것으로 밝혀졌다.