• Molecules and Cells
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.298-303
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• 2020

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is now the first choice to determine the high-resolution structures of huge protein complexes. Grids with two-dimensional arrays of holes covered with a carbon film are typically used in cryo-EM. Although semi-automatic plungers are available, notable trial-and-error is still required to obtain a suitable grid specimen. Herein, we introduce a new method to obtain thin ice specimens using real-time measurement of the liquid amounts in cryo-EM grids. The grids for cryo-EM strongly diffracted laser light, and the diffraction intensity of each spot was measurable in real-time. The measured diffraction patterns represented the states of the liquid in the holes due to the curvature of the liquid around them. Using the diffraction patterns, the optimal time point for freezing the grids for cryo-EM was obtained in real-time. This development will help researchers rapidly determine high-resolution protein structures using the limited resource of cryo-EM instrument access.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.179-186
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• 2003

Human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines have been derived from human blastocysts and are expected to have far-reaching applications in regenerative medicine. The objective of this study is to improve freezing method with less cryo-injuries and best survival rates in hES cells by comparing various vitrification conditions. For the vitrifications, ES cells are exposed to the 4 different cryoprotectants, ethylene glycol (EG), 1,2-propanediol (PROH), EG with dime-thylsulfoxide (DMSO) and EG with PROH. We compared to types of vehicles, such as open pulled straw (OPS) or electron microscopic cooper grids (EM grids). Thawed hES cells were dipped into sequentially holding media with 0.2 M sucrose for 1 min, 0.1 M sucrose for 5 min and holding media for 5 min twice and plated onto a fresh feeder layer. Survival rates of vitrified hES cells were assessed by counting of undifferentiated colonies. It shows high survival rates of hES cells frozen with EG and DMSO (60.8％), or EG and PROH(65.8％) on EM grids better than those of OPS, compared to those frozen with EG alone (2.4％) or PROH alone (0％) alone. The hES cells vitrified with EM grid showed relatively constant colony forming efficiency and survival rates, compared to those of unverified hES cells. The vitrified hES cells retained the normal morphology, alkaline phosphates activity, and the expression of SSEA-3 and 4. Through RT-PCR analysis showed Oct-4 gene expression was down-regulated and embryonic germ layer markers were up-regulated in the vitrified hES cells during spontaneous differentiation. These results show that vitrification method by using EM grid supplemented with EG and PROH in hES cells may be most efficient at present to minimize cyto-toxicity and cellular damage derived by ice crystal formation and furthermore may be employed for clinical application.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제46권9호
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• pp.538-544
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• 2023

The formation of uniform vitreous ice is a crucial step in the preparation of samples for cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Despite the rapid technological progress in EM, controlling the thickness of vitreous ice on sample grids with reproducibility remains a major obstacle to obtaining high-quality data in cryo-EM imaging. The commonly employed classical blotting process faces the problem of excess water that cannot be absorbed by the filter paper, resulting in the formation of thick and heterogeneous ice. In this study, we propose a novel approach that combines the recently developed nanowire self-wicking technique with the classical blotting method to effectively control the thickness and homogeneity of vitrified ice. With simple procedures, we generated a copper oxide spike (COS) grid by inducing COSs on commercially available copper grids, which can effectively remove excess water during the blotting procedure without damaging the holey carbon membrane. The ice thickness could be controlled with good reproducibility compared to non-oxidized grids. Incorporated into other EM techniques, our new modification method is an effective option for obtaining high-quality data during cryo-EM imaging.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.121-129
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• 2001

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the efficiency of a method for the cryopreservation of mouse blastocyst.. Methods: Mouse embryos were obtained at 2-cell stage and cultured to blastocyst stage in T6 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Morphologically normal blastocysts were collected and randomly divided to one control and four experimental groups. In control group, blastocysts were cultured in vitro continuously for additional two days. In group 2, blastocysts were exposed to vitrification solution (ethylene glycol) only without cryopreservation (exposure only group). In group 3, 4 and 5, blastocysts were cryopreserved by slow-freezing procedure with glycerol (slow-fteezing group) or by vitrification procedure using EM grids (EM grids group) and cryoloop (cryoloop group), respectively. Frozen blastocysts were thawed and cultured for additional two days. Twenty four hours after thawing, some blastocysts were fixed and stained with Hoechst 33342 (bisbenzimide) and the number of nuclei in each blastocysts were counted to confirm the survival of bias to cysts in experimental groups. Results: Survival rate and hatching rate of the blastocysts in slow-freezing group (24 h: 72.4% and 66.0%, 48 h: 63.2% and 64.6%) and EM grids group (24 h: survival rate 77.3%, 48 h: 70.1% and 71.4%) were significantly lower ($X^2$-test p<0.05) than those of control group (24 h: 93.4% and 86.0%, 48 h: 88.5% and 90.7%). In contrast, the survival rate and hatching rate of the blastocysts in cryoloop group (24 h: 84.1% and 84.1%,48 h 79.3% and 87.7%) is well compared with those in the control group. The mean (${\pm}SD$) cell number of blastocyst in the exposure only ($89.2{\pm}11.5$), EM grids ($85.0{\pm}10.3$) and cryoloop ($89.0{\pm}11.0$) groups, except slow-freezing group ($79.0{\pm}10.0$), were not significantly different from that of control group ($93.1{\pm}13.9$) 24 h after thawing (Student's t-test). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that higher survival rate of vitrified-thawed mouse blastocyst can be obtained using cryoloop as the embryo container at freezing rather than slow-freezing or vitrification using EM grids. The results of this study suggest that vitrification using cryoloop (with ethylene glycol) may be a preferable procedure for mouse blastocyst cryopreservation and could be applied to the human blastocyst cryopreservation.

• 한국동물번식학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국동물번식학회 2001년도 춘계학술발표대회
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• pp.76-76
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• 2001

The objective of this study was to optimize the vitrification method of in vitro produced bovine embryos. Thus, in vitro produced embryos at 8 cell, morula and blastocyst stages were vitrified on electron microscope grids (EM grids) or in open pulled straws (OPS) with EG5.5 (5.5 M ethylene glycol, 1.0 M sucrose and 10% FBS in m-DPBS medium) freezing solution and their survival rates after thawing were compared. The embryos on EM grids or in OPS were briefly exposed to EG5.5 freezing solution and plunged directly into liquid nitrogen within 30 to 35 sec. Post-thawed embryos were serially diluted in 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125 M sucrose in m-DPBS, each for 1 min, and then cultured in CRI aa medium supplemented with 10% FBS. Embryonic survival rate was assessed as re-expanded and hatched rates of those embryos after warming. The rates of re-expansion embryos did not significantly different between EM grid (8 cell: 42.10%, morula: 66.66% and blastocyst: 77.08%) and OPS (8 cell: 47.36%, morula: 61.90% and blastocyst: 83.33%) methods. In addition, the hatched rates in EM grid (8 cell: 31.57%, morula: 57.14% and blastocyst: 72.91%) were similar to those in OPS (8 cell. 34.21%, morula: 50.00% and Blastocyst: 77.08%). Interestingly, even at the same blastocyst stage, the in vitro survival of day 7 embryos (EM grid: 79.48 and OPS: 87.18%) was higher than those of day 8 embryos (EM grid: 72.10 and OPS: 82.06%). The total cell number of blastocyst developed in vitro after vitrification was examined with Hoechst 33342 staining to compare the embryo quality among different treatment groups. The total cell number of blastocyst was not significantly different between vitrified groups (EM grid: 162.4$\pm$8.0 and OPS: 158.4$\pm$7.1) and unvitrified control (168.0$\pm$5.6). These results indicate that both vitrification containers can provide the high rate of embryo survival. Moreover, the OPS container may not need a cap to protect the container from floating after immersion in L$N_2$. Therefore, this study suggest that bovine embryos can be cryopreserved easily, effectively and successfully by vitrification method using EM grid or OPS with EG5.5 freezing solution. In the future, the Pregnancy rate would be investigated after transfer of our vitrified embryos into the appropriated recipients.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.233-237
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• 2001

To develop an effective vitrification method, we examined the use of a conventional straw as vessel fur vitrification of mouse oocytes, and to compare the post-thaw survival and chromosome configuration of these oocytes with those vitrified in grids. Intact cumulus-enclosed oocytes were vitrified with DPBS with 5.5 M ethylene glycol and 1.0 M sucrose, and loaded into straws and onto eletron microscopic copper grid fur storing in liquid nitrogen. Intact vitrified and thawed oocytes were karyotying for chromosome. The rates of post-thawed survival were 88.5% in vitrified oocytes with straws, and 83% in vitrified ooctyes with grids. Vitrified and thawed oocytes with straws and grids were increased chromosomal abnormality (31.4% and 30.9%) compared with fresh oocytes (17.8%). The conventional straws can be used as vessel for vitrification to prevent of inflection in liquid nitrogen.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제10권1_2호
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• pp.7-17
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• 1980

Electron microscope radioautography introduced by Liquier-Milward (1956) is now used routinely in many laboratories. Most of the technical difficulties in specimen preparation have been overcome. This method is modified from loop method for improvement of EM radioautographic techniques. The advantages of this method are: 1. the use of single specimens on small corks and of a large wire loop, allows the experimenter to avoid the blemishes in the membrane; 2. the surfactant dioctyl sodium sulphosuccinate is added to diluted ILford L4, thus greatly prolonging the period of time over which good emulsion layers can be made; 3. corks can be handled in perspex holder which allows about 20 specimens to be developed simultaneously. The steps of the method comprise: 1. Cut ribbons of ultrathin sections of silver interference colour 2. Pick them up on formvar-coated 200 mesh grids 3. Prestaining of tissues 4. Coat the specimens with a thin layer of carbon by evaporation (30-60A) 5. Mount the specimens on corks (about 1cm apical diameter) using double-sided scotch tape 6. Emulsion coating; a. Take a 250m1 beaker, place it on the pan of a sliding weight balance and weigh it. Add 10 grams extra to the beam. Add pieces of ILford L4 emulsion to the beaker until the balance is swinging freely. Add the 20ml of distilled water that was previously measured out. b. Surfactant dioctyl sodium sulphosuccinate is added to diluted ILford L4. 7. Prepare a series of membranes of gelled emulsion with the wire loop and apply one to each cork-borne specimen. 8. Put the specimens away to expose by pushing the corks into short length of PVC tubing, each tube having a small hole in the side 9. Place the tubes in small boxes together with silica gel. 10. Exposure 11. Developer - Kodak Microdol X for 3 minutes 12. Fixer - A perspex holder can be manufactured which allows 20 specimens to be developed simultaneously. 12. Fixer - 30% sodium thiosulfate for 10 minutes 13. Examination with Siemens Elmiskop 1A electron microscope

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.71-76
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• 1998

본 연구는 소 미성숙난자를 electron microscope (EM) grid와 동해제인 EFS30을 이용하여 초급속 동결하였을 때 정상적인 배 발달의 유도가능성 여부를 조사하고자 실시하였다. 동해제는 30% ethylene glycol, 18% ficoll, 0.5 M sucrose와 10% FBS 등이 PBS에 첨가되어 제작된 EFS30을 사용하였다. 난자 생존의 평가기준으로는 성숙, 수정 및 배발달을 조사하였다. 본 연구에서 얻어진 결과는 다음과 같다. 초급속동결-융해 후, 소 미성숙란의 생존율은 43.2%을 나타내었다. 동결-융해군의 체외 성숙 (84.1%)과 정상 자웅전핵 형성율 (57.5%)은 대조군의 결과 (92.5, 65.0%)와 비교하여 볼 때 유의한 차이는 없었다. 또한, 동결군의 체외수정 이후의 $\geq2$-세포기 형성 (65.0%)과 배반포형성율 (30.8%)도 대조군(73.7, 35.7%)의 결과와 유의한 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 따라서 소 미성숙난자는 EM grid와 EFS30 동결액을 이용한 초급속 동결방법에 의해 정상적인 배발달이 유도될 수 있다는 것을 알 수 있었다.

• 한국동물번식학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국동물번식학회 2003년도 학술발표대회 발표논문초록집
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• pp.83-83
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• 2003

돼지 난자의 유리화 동결 처리 방법 중 난자를 담는 용기(loading vessel)의 재료로 최근에 알려진 것으로 open-pulled straws(OPS)[Vajta등, Mol Reprod Dev, 51:53-58, (1998)], electron microscope grids(EMG) [Martino등,Biol Reprod, 54:1059-1069, (1996)〕, nylon loop system(NLS) [Lane등, Fertil Steril,72: 1073-1078, (1999)] 등이 보고되고 있다. OPS는 1/4cc straws를 열을 가하여 길게 뽑아 내벽을 얇게 함으로써 filing된 난자나 수정란이 액체 질소와 접촉했을 때 유리화가 신속하게 되도록 하는 방법으로 돼지에서는 별로 보고된 것이 없다. EMG는 열전도가 예민한 전자현미경용 copper grid를 이용한 방법으로 최근 국내 기술진의 연구성적을 포함한 몇몇 학자들에 의하여 보고되었고 NLS는 0.5mm직경의 nylon loop를 이용하여 급속 동결한 성적이 보고되었으나, 돼지 난자에 응용 된 것은 없다. 따라서 이와 같은 동결 재료는 사람과 반추류, mouse외에 돼지 난자에 대하여는 전혀 시도되지 않았지만 유리화 동결기술에서 가장 중요한 실험으로 생각된다. 성공적인 유리화 동결을 위해서는 수정란이 냉각의 전도성이 빠르고, 작은 용액을 수정란과 같이 filling해야 하며 모든 동작이 신속 간편해야 하며 융해 방법도 초급속도의 융해가 요구되므로 이에 부합되어야 한다. 연구 목적은 돼지 난자를 유리화 동결/융해 시 동결 재료-straw/glass, copper grid, nylon 3가지에 대한 제작 방법, 난자 loading, 동결 처리, 보관 방법, 융해 방법 등을 난자의 회수, 수정 후 생존율을 비교 조사하여 가장 우수한 방법을 선택할 목적이었다. 수행 내용은 3가지의 재료의 sample을 제작하고 소독한 다음 준비된 돼지 COCs을 40시간동안 IVM한 후 난자를 5~l5개 정도로 선정 하여 준비된 VS 용액에 평형처리 하였다. 각 재료의 용기에 loading 한 후 동결/보관하였고, 융해는 역순으로 평형하여 maturation 배지에 3~4시간 배양한 다음 경검하고 IVF한 후 NCSU-23 배지에 담아 IVC 배양하면서 cell cleavage상태를 확인하였다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.367-372
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• 2000

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate whether vitrification method could be used for the cryopreservation of human blastocysts derived from IVF program. Methods: Surplus embryos were obtained from consented IVF patients. Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation was done with midluteal GnRH agonist, gonadotropin and hCG. After oocyte retrieval and insemination, fresh embryo transfer was done at $4{\sim}8$ cell stage. The surplus embryos after ET were cultured in blastocyst medium up to 6 days after oocyte retrieval. Obtained blastocysts were cryopreserved with our vitrification method. Blastocysts were exposed to 1.5 Methylene glycol (EG) in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for 2.5 minutes, followed by 5.5 M EG plus 1 M sucrose for 20 seconds. Then 1 to 3 blastocysts were mounted on electron microscope (EM) grid and the grid was plunged into liquid nitrogen for storage. For thawing, blastocyst-containing EM grids were sequentially transferred in 1.0 M, 0.5 M, 0.25 M, 0.125 M and 0 M sucrose solution at the intervals of2.5 minutes. And blastocysts were cultured for about 6 hours and only re-expanded blastocysts were transferred to uterus of the patients on 4 to 5 days after ovulation in natural cycle or on 18 to 19 day of artificial cycle. Results: From Oct. 1998 to Jul. 1999, 34 patients were agreed to participate in this study. The mean age and duration of infertility of the patients were 31.6 years and 4.1 years, respectively. Among 34 cycles. replacements could be done in 20 cycles (58.8%). A total 93 blastocysts were thawed and 48 (51.6%) of them survived. Thirty-eight blastocysts, mean 1.9 embryos per patient, were transferred, resulting in 5 clinical pregnancies which consisted of 1 triplet, 2 sets of twins and 2 singleton pregnancies. The pregnancy rate per transfer was 25% and implantation rate was 23.6%. Five patients delivered 7 healthy babies including 2 sets of twins at term. Conclusion: Successful pregnancies and deliveries were established after transfer of vitrified human blastocysts. Vitrification using ethylene glycol as cryoprotectant and electron microscope grid is a rapid and simple method that can be effectively applied for the cryopreservation of human blastocysts.