• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.117-125
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• 2001

Vitrification of oocytes has been applied recently fur pigs, but remains elusive. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of vitrification in open pulled straws (OPS) on in vitro survival of porcine oocytes. When immature follicular oocytes frozen-thawed were cultured for in vitro maturation, maturation rates to metaphase-II stage were higher in oocytes with (25%) than without (15%) cumulus cells. After In vitro fertilization of oocytes frozen-thawed, the maturation rates were also significantly (P<0.05) higher in oocytes with (41%) that than without (17%) cumulus cells. However, the penetration rates were higher in oocytes without (19%) that than with (9%) cumulus. In another experiment, porcine oocytes matured in vitro were frozen and thawed for in vitro fertilization. The penetration rates were higher than in oocytes without (35%) that than with (26%) cumulus cells. However, the proportions of oocytes dead after in vitro fertilization were significantly (P<0.05) higher in oocytes with that than without cumulus cells. On the other hand, the rates of penetration and dead oocytes at 6 h after in vitro fertilization were not significant differences between oocytes with and without cumulus cells. However, the proportions of dead oocytes with (18%) and without (16%) cumulus cells were higher than in oocytes of control group (0%). These finding indicated the possible broader application for OPS, as they demonstrated that the maturation and fertilization in vitro by frozen-thawed oocytes may be accompained by cumulus cells and culture periods according to the requirements of the survival ability after freezing of mature and immature oocytes in pigs.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.247-256
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• 1999

The present study was performed to improve the reproductive disturbance as well as the elimination of microbiological contamination for animals bred under conventional conditions followed by in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer techniques including embryo and sperm freezing, using a mouse strain(M. m. molossinus-tt＠Kist) showing the abnormal behavior disorder derived from Korean wild mice (Mus musculus molossinus). Moreover, hematological and serum biochemical analyses were also carried out to obtain the basic data of this mouse strain The results are summarized as follows: 1. In comparison with hematological data, the numbers of RBC and platelet of this mouse strain were appeared as the higher value those that of the same aged inbred strains such as BALB/c, DBA/2, C57BL/6 and C3H /Hen. However, no differences were found in values of WBC, Hb and Ht. Moreover, total cholesterol of this strain showed a low value but triglyceride, total protein and albumin values were similar as in inbred strains. 2. The average numbers of superovulated oocytes treated with 2.5/2.5 IU and 5.0/5.0 IU of PMSG/hCG were 11.6 and 12.7, respectively. The fertilization rates of 2.5/2.5 IU PMSG /hCG treatment(87.9%) was higher than 5.0/5.0 IU treatment(52.0%) (p＜0.05) and the developmental rate of 2 cell stage embryos were 외 so appeared as higher value 99.0% and 90.6%, respectively. 3. The rates of in vitro fertilization treated with frozen sperm(24.8%) was significantly lower than of that fresh sperm(87.9%), (p＜0.05). 4. The five, six and ten heads of offspring were obtained from frozen-thawed 2 cell embryos by in vitro fertilized, 2 cell embryos from in vitro fertilized by frozen-thawed spermatozoa. and 2 cell embryos by in vitro fertilization, respectively. These offspring developed the expected disease about 2 weeks after birth, which was confirmed that the disease character of this mutant mouse strain was reliably reproduced. 5. MHV(Mouse hepatitis virus) and Staphylococcus aureus were successfully eliminated from conventional animals by in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer and the use of SPF recipient animals.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 1995

To examine the critical effect of oxygen concentration on embryonic development, in vitro fertilized embryos were cultured in media(TCM199 vs. SOF) supplemented sera(1O% FCS vs. 10% HS) with and without bovine oviduct epithelial cells under two gas atmosphere (5% $CO_2$ in air vs. 5% $CO_2$, 5% $O_2$, 90% $N_2$). Oocytes, obtained from abattoir ovaries, were matured in EGF containing TCM199 medium co-cultured with BOEC for 24 hours, followed by exposure to frozen-thawed, heparin4reated spermatozoa in TALP for 30 hours. And then early embryos(1~2 cell) were cultured in both TCM199 and SOF supplemented with 10% FCS or 10% RS under 5% $CO_2$ in air or 5% COi, 5% $O_2$, 90% $N_2$. Development to morulae and blastocysts was recorded on days 7, after the start of in vitro fertilization. The developmental rates of in vitro fertilized embryos to morulae and blastocysts cultured in SOF with BOEC under 5% $CO_2$, 5% $O_2$, 90% $N_2$(24.4%) were significantly(p<0.05) higher than cultured in SOF with BOEC under 5% $CO_2$ in air(14.1%) at seven days after in vitro fertilization. When early bovine embryos were cultured in TCM 199 and SOF under two different gas atmosphere, there were no significant differences in the developmental rates to morulae and blastocysts between supplements of 10% FCS and 10% HS. The rates of development to morulae and blastocysts were significantly(p<0.01) higher in TCM 199 with BOEC(24.7%) than TCM199 without BOEC(10.9%) under 5% $CO_2$ in air, otherwise SOF without BOEC(36.4%) were significantly (p<0.05) higher than in SOF with BOEC (24.4%) under 5% $CO_2$, 5% $O_2$, 90% $N_2$. In summary, these experiments have proved that the culture system in SOF supplemented 10% ES is effective on in vitro development of early bovine embryos under 5% $CO_2$, 5% $O_2$, 90% $N_2$. In addition, it is effective to development of bovine embryos that TCM 199 should be co-cultured with BOEC and SOF should be cultured without somatic cells under two different gas atmosphere.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.595-598
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• 1989

Bovine embryos/ova obtained from in-vitro fertilization were either co-cultured on a monolayer of bovine cumulus cells or cultured in medium alone. Embryos/ova co-cultured with cumulus cells developed to 8-cell (30.9%), morula (29.8%) and blastocyst stages (26.6%) after 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8 days of culture, respectively, while embryos/ova cultured in medium alone failed to develop beyond 8-cell (0-13.3%), morula (0-1.5%) and blastocyst stages (0%). The results of this study demonstrated the beneficial effect of cumulus cells on the development of bovine embryos.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2002.06a
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• pp.83-83
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• 2002

This study was to compare the characteristics of parthenogenetic mES (P-mES) cells and in vitro fertilization mES cells. Mouse oocytes were recovered from superovulated 4wks hybrid F1 (C57BL/6xCBA/N) female mice. The oocytes were treated with 7% ethanol for 5 min and 5 ㎍/㎖ cytochalasin-B for 4 h. For IVF, the oocytes were inseminated with epididymal sperm of hybrid Fl male mice (1×10/sup 6//㎖). IVF and parthenogenetic embryos were cultured in M16 medium for 4 days. Cell number count in blastocysts was carried out differential labelling using propidium iodide (red) and bisbenzimide(blue). (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.225-230
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• 1992

Many transgenic mice expressing human growth hormone gene were infertile. To investigate the infertility of these transfenic mice, it was looked into the estrus cycle and sexual behaviour and also tested through in vitro fertilization whether the germ cells of these mice normal or not. The infertile female transgenic mice were mated to the fertile males of ICR strain, but in almost all of them the vaginal plugs were not detected and their estrus cycles by vaginal smear were almost irregular which kept up estrus or diestrus stage. Many male transgenic mice did not have the ability of sexual behaviour. Therefore the viability of germ cells in infertile male transgenic mice was investigated by in vitro fertilization, but the sperm were normally fertilized with the eggs and the transgene of parent was passed on to the progeny. These results consequently suggest that the infertility of transgenic mice experssing human growth hormone gene may be due to the physiological activity of human growth hormone, not germ cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2022

Objective: We investigated the effect of supplementing fertilization medium and/or culture medium with astaxanthin (AST) on the two phases of in vitro fertilization: gamete fertilization and embryo development. Methods: Mouse cumulus-oocyte complexes were divided into four groups with 5 µM AST added to the fertilization medium (group 3, n=300), culture medium (group 2, n=300), or both media (group 4, n=290). No AST was added to the control group (group 1, n=300). Results: The fertilization rate was significantly higher (p<0.001) in the groups using AST supplemented fertilization medium (group 3, 79.0%; group 4, 81.4%) than those without AST (group 1, 56.3%; group 2, 52.3%). The blastocyst rate calculated from the two-cell stage was significantly lower (p<0.001) in the groups using AST-supplemented embryo culture medium (group 2, 58.0%; group 4, 62.3%) than in those without AST (group 1, 82.8%; group 3, 79.8%). The blastocyst rate calculated from the number of inseminated oocytes was highest in group 3 (189/300, 63.0%) and lowest in group 2 (91/300, 30.3%) with statistical significance compared to other groups (p<0.001). There were significantly higher numbers of cells in the inner cell mass and trophectoderm, as well as significantly higher total blastocyst cell counts, in group 3 than in the control group. Conclusion: An increased blastocyst formation rate and high-quality blastocysts were found only in the fertilization medium that had been supplemented with AST. In contrast, AST supplementation of the embryo culture medium was found to impair embryo development.

• Perinatology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.180-184
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• 2018

In assisted reproductive techniques, monozygotic twinning is not influenced by the trial of reducing the number of embryos transferred. We present extremely rare case of monochorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy following in vitro fertilization and two-embryo transfer. During the first trimester, the crucial ultrasound findings of monochorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy are three distinct amniotic sacs forming a triangle or ipsilon zone within a single chorionic cavity. After prudential counseling about the potential risk of a monochorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy with the patient, selective reduction of two fetuses via radiofrequency ablation was performed. We report a case of selective reduction for monochorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy using radiofrequency ablation at 12 weeks' gestation and obstetric progression after radiofrequency ablation was uneventful until 20 weeks' gestation.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.237-244
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• 1990

These studies were carried out to investigate the effects of the follicles size, hormone supplementation, semen types and capacitation methods on in vitro maturation and fertilization of bovine follicular oocytes. The ovaries were obtained from slaughtered Korean Native cows. The follicular oocytes surrounded with cumulus cells were recovered by aspirating follicular fluid from the visible follicles of diameter 3~5mm. The follicular oocytes were cultured in TCM-199 medium containing hormones, FCS, ECS, BFF and MCC for 24~48hrs. in a incubator with 5% CO2 in air at 38.5$^{\circ}C$ and then matured oocytes were again cultured for 18~20hrs. with motile capacitated sperm in the TCF(Tyroide calcium-free) solution containing 200$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of heparin. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows : 1. The oocytes classified as "A, B, C, D and Degenerative" depending morphological integrity and those were 61.4%, 12.1%, 19.2%, 4.2% and 3.0% of the total oocytes recovered, respectively. The maturation and fertilization rate of the A, B, C class follicular oocytes, cultured in the TCM-199 medium supplemented with 10% FCS were 89.1%, 78.0%, 52.6% and 78.1%, 66.1%, 33.3%, respectively. 2. The average number of the follicular oocytes recovered from follicles size, 1~2mm, 3~5mm and above 5mm in dimeter were 67, 98 and 63, respectively. The maturation and fertilization rate of the follicular oocytes, cultured in the TCM-199 medium were 56.7%, 82.5%, 46.0% and 44.8%, 71.4%, 28.6%, respectively. 3. The maturation and fertilization rate of follicular oocytes, cultured in the TCM-199 medium supplemented with 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% FCS and hCG, HCG, $\beta$-estradiol were 76.0%~82.3% and 26.2%~70.0%, and those values were higher the supplementation of the hormone than the non-supplementation. 4. The fertilization and cleavage rate of the follicular oocytes, inseminated with spermatozoas of epididymis cauda, neat and frozen semen were 63.3%, 73.3%, 70.0% and 32.7%, 37.8%, 38.3, respectively. 5. The fertilization and cleavage rate of follicular oocytes, fertilized with capacitated spermatozoas by heparin, BFF and HIS methods were 70.0%, 53.8%, 34.2% and 38.3%, 23.1%, 17.1%, respectively. And the fertilization and cleavage rate were higher method of heparin than other methods.r methods.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.108-108
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• 2005