• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 2011

The faulty regulation of imprinting gene lead to the abnormal development of reconstructed embryo after nuclear transfer. However, the correlation between the imprinting status of donor cell and preimplantation stage of embryo development is not yet clear. In this study, to determine this correlation, we used the porcine spermatogonial stem cell (pSSC) and fetal fibroblast (pFF) as donor cells. As the results, the isolated cells with laminin matrix selection strongly expressed the GFR ${\alpha}$-1 and PLZF genes of SSCs specific markers. The pSSCs were maintained to 12 passages and positive for the pluripotent marker including OCT4, SSEA1 and NANOG. The methylation analysis of H19 DMR of pSSCs revealed that the zinc finger protein binding sites CTCF3 of H19 DMRs displayed an androgenic imprinting pattern (92.7%). Also, to investigate the reprogramming potential of pSSCs as donor cell, we compared the development rate and methylation status of H19 gene between the reconstructed embryos from pFF and pSSC. This result showed no significant differences of the development rate between the pFFs ($11.2{\pm}0.8%$) and SSCs ($13.3{\pm}1.1%$). However, interestingly, while the CTCF3 methylation status of pFF-NT blastocyst was decreased (36.3%), and the CTCF3 methylation status of pSSC-NT blastocyst was maintained. Therefore, this result suggested that the genomic imprinting status of pSSCs is more effective than that of normal somatic cells for the normal development because the maintenance of imprinting pattern is very important in early embryo stage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.585-592
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• 2017

Objective: The present study investigates pre- and post-implantation developmental competence of nuclear-transferred porcine embryos derived from male and female fetal fibroblasts. Methods: Male and female fetal fibroblasts were transferred to in vitro-matured enucleated oocytes and in vitro and in vivo developmental competence of reconstructed embryos was investigated. And, a total of 6,789 female fibroblast nuclear-transferred embryos were surgically transferred into 41 surrogate gilts and 4,746 male fibroblast nuclear-transferred embryos were surgically transferred into 25 surrogate gilts. Results: The competence to develop into blastocysts was not significantly different between the sexes. The mean cell number of female and male cloned blastocysts obtained by in vivo culture ($143.8{\pm}10.5$ to $159.2{\pm}14.8$) was higher than that of in vitro culture of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) groups ($31.4{\pm}8.3$ to $33.4{\pm}11.1$). After embryo transfer, 5 pregnant gilts from each treatment delivered 15 female and 22 male piglets. The average birth weight of the cloned piglets, gestation length, and the postnatal survival rates were not significantly different (p<0.05) between sexes. Conclusion: The present study found that the sex difference of the nuclear donor does not affect the developmental rate of porcine SCNT embryos. Furthermore, postnatal survivability of the cloned piglets was not affected by the sex of the donor cell.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.235-243
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• 2007

Human umbilical cord blood(HUCB) contains a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial cell precursors. Mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) in HUCB are multipotent stem cells, differ from hematopoietic stem cells and can be differentiated into neural cells. We studied on transdifferentiation-promoting conditions in neural cells and cholinergic neuron induction of HUCB-derived MSCs. Neural differentiation was induced by addingdimethyl sulphoxide(DMSO) and butylated hydroxyanisole(BHA) in Dulbeco's Modified Essential Medium(DMEM) and fetal bovine serum(FBS). Differentiation of MSCs to cholinergic neurons was induced by combined treatment with basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF), retinoic acid(RA) and sonic hedgehog(Shh). MSCs treated with DMSO and BHA rapidly assumed the morphology of multipolar neurons. Both immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of a number of neural markers including $\beta$-tubulin III, GFAP and MBP, was markedly elevated during this acute differentiation. The differentiation rate was about $32.3{\pm}2.9%$ for $\beta$-tubulin III-positive cells, $11.0{\pm}0.9%$ for GFAP, and $9.4{\pm}1.0%$ for Gal-C. HUCB-MSCs treated combinatorially with bFGF, RA and Shh were differentiated into cholinergic neurons. After cholinergic neuronal differentiation, the $\beta$-tubulin III-positive cell population of total cells was $31.3{\pm}3.2%$ and of differentiated neuronal population, $70.0{\pm}7.8%$ was ChAT-positive showing 3 folds higher in cholinergic population than neural induction. Conclusively, HUCB-derived MSCs can be differentiated into neural and cholinergic neurons and these findings suggest that HUCB are alternative cell source of treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 2007

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of cytochalasin B (CB) treatment in the activation medium on the development of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) rat embryos. Fetal fibroblast cells were isolated from a Day 14.5 fetus, and the oocytes for recipient cytoplasm were recovered from 4-week old Sprague Dawley rats. After enucleation and nuclear injection, the reconstructed oocytes were immediately exposed to activation medium consisting of 10 mM $SrCl_2$ with or without CB for 4 hr, and formation of pseudo-pronucleus (PPN) was checked at 18 hr after activation. Then, they were transferred into day 1 pseudopregnant recipients (Hooded Wistar) or cultured for 5 days to check their developmental competence in vivo or in vitro. The number of PPN was not affected by CB treatment during the activation. However, CB treatment supported pre-implantation development of rat SCNT embryos. Embryos generated by the procedures of SCNT were also capable of implanting, with 1 implantation scar found from a recipient following the transfer of 87 SCNT embryos to four foster mothers. The result of the present study shows that rat SCNT embryo can develop to post-implantation stage following treatment with CB.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.177-185
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• 2013

The development of species-specific fish cell lines has become a valuable tool for biological research. In recent years, marine medaka Oryzias dancena has been recognized as a good experimental model fish but there are no reports of establishment of cell lines from this fish. In this study, two cell lines from O. dancena blastula embryos were established from 41 total trials (4.9%). The two cell lines displayed typical in vitro morphology and have been cultured for >121 passages, which corresponds to 293 days. The doubling times of the cell lines were 29.84 and 28.59 h, respectively, and both possessed the potential to expand in a clonal manner, albeit with significant differences between the two cell lines. The absence of any of the four main medium supplements; i.e., fish serum, fetal bovine serum, basic fibroblast growth factor, and medaka embryo extract, significantly inhibited growth. The proportion of cells possessing normal chromosome number was 45% and 46.7% of the cell lines, respectively. Taken together, two cell lines that proliferate continuously were established from marine medaka and these cell lines may provide a basic tool for characterizing the unique features of this fish species.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.87-93
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of embryo development by fusion condition on the nuclear transfer with brindle coated cow's ear cells. Ear cells were transferred into an enucleated oocyte and fused with cytoplasm in the fusion condition with 1.9kv/cm, 2.0kv/cm, 2.1kv/cm each 10 and 20ug duration Nuclear transfer embryo were activeted with a combination of 5ug/ml and 1.9mM 6-DMAP (4min, 4h). Fusion rate was 51∼68% range among fusion condition (1.9, 2.0, 2.1kv/cm; 10, 20us). But, cytoplasm lysis rate was increased by higher electric condition (0∼51.8% range). Each parameter's cleavage and blastocyst formation rate were 1.9kv/cm for 10us (75.8 and 19.5%), 20us (69.8 and 48.6%), 2.0kv/cm for 10us (76.9 and 20.0%), 20 us (68.5 and 40.9%), 2.1kv/cm for 10us (70.5 and 44.2%), 20 us (68.5 and 27.0%). We compared the effectiveness of cloning for between brindle coated cow's ear cells and Hanwoo fetal fibroblast cells. There was no significant differences in the fusion rate and developmental rate to the blastocyst stage. After transfer of blastocysts derived from nuclear transfer embryos, pregnancy rates of the Hanwoo fetal fibroblast cells and brindle coated cow's ear cells were checked pregnant on day 60 as assessed by ultrasonography, 40% (2/5) and 15.8% (3/19), respectively. This studies conclude that brindle coated cow's ear cells have the developmental potentiality to term by nuclear transfer. These results demonstrate that the increased the field strength was to be profitable for development of blastocyst or reduce of cytoplasm's damage than increasing the pulse duration.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 2013

Developmental potential of cloned embryos is related closely to epigenetic modification of somatic cell genome. The present study was to investigate the effects of applying histone deacetylation inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA) to activated porcine embryos on subsequent development of porcine parthenogenetic and nuclear transfer embryos. Electrically activated oocytes were treated with 5 nM TSA for different exposure times (0, 1, 2 and 4 hr) and then the activated embryos were cultured for 7 days. The reconstructed embryos were treated with different concentrations of 0, 5, 10 and 25 nM TSA for 1 hr. Also 5 nM TSA was tested with different exposure times of 0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 hr. And fetal fibroblast cells were treated with 50 nM TSA for 1, 2 or 4 hr and with 5 nM TSA for 1 hr. Cumulus-free oocytes were enucleated and reconstructed by TSA-treated donor cells and electrically fused and cultured for 6 days. In parthenogenetic activation experiments, 5 nM TSA treatment for 1 hr significantly improved the percentage of blastocyst developmental rates than the other groups. Total cell number of blastocysts in 1 hr group was significantly higher than other groups or control. Similarly, blastocyst developmental rates of porcine NT embryos following 5 nM TSA treatment for 1 hr were highest. And the reconstructed embryos from donor cells treated by 50 nM TSA for 1 hr improved the percentage of blastocyst developmental rates than the control group. In conclusion, TSA treatment could improve the subsequent blastocyst development of porcine parthenogenetic and nuclear transfer embryos.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.821-838
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• 1999

On the basis of the evidences that electrical stimulation could enhance proliferation and differentiation of bone cells and promote healing and regeneration of bone, this study was performed to investigate the effects of electrical stimulation on human periodontal ligament cells and gingival fibroblasts in vitro, which also have important roles in regeneration of periodontium, and to evaluate the potential of clinical application of electrical stimulation. Human periodontal ligament cells and gingival fibroblasts were primarily cultured from the root surface of extracted premolar and the adjacent gingiva without periodontal diseases. In control group, the cells ($5{\times}10^4$ cells/ml)were incubated only in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium contained with 10% fetal bovine serum. In test groups, electrical stimulation was given at the current intensity of $0.25{\mu]A$(test group 1), $1.0{\mu}A$(test group 2), and $2.5{\mu}A$(test group 3) for 12 hours to the same culture media with the control group. After 12 hour exposure of electrical stimulation, the cells were incubated for 2 and a half days(60 hours), and then each group of cells was analyzed for cell proliferation, protein level, and activity of alkaline phosphatase. The results were as follows ; 1. The Rate of cell proliferation of every test group increased significantly in both periodontal ligament cells and gingival fibroblasts, and in periodontal ligament cells, test group 3 showed significantly increased proliferation compared to the other test groups(p<0.05). 2. In the protein levels, neither periodontal ligament cell nor gingival fibroblast showed statistically significant differences between control and test groups. 3. The activity of alkaline phosphatase in periodontal ligament cells increased significantly in all test groups(p<0.05), but there were no significant differences between 3 test groups. In gingival fibroblasts, the activity of alkaline phosphatase increased significantly only in test group 3(p<0.05). From the above results, it is concluded that electrical stimulation may have beneficial effects on the regeneration of destructed periodontal tissue in regard of the stimulation of periodontal ligament cells and gingival fibroblasts as well as electrically stimulated bone formation that has been known, and that electrical stimulation may have the potential of clinical application.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.429-437
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• 2000

This study investigated the successful introduction of genes of erythropoietin (EPO) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in bovine embryos following nuclear transfer of bovine fetal fibroblasts (bFF), which were transfected by retrovirus vector system. Non-starved bFF were, transferred into perivitelline space of enucleated oocytes. The bFF-oocyte units were accomplished by cell to cell fusion and activated with calcium inophore and 6-dimethylaminopurine. Reconstructed embryos were co-cultured with bovine oviduct epithelial cells in CRlaa medium for 8 days. Out of 187 (EPO) and 210 (EGFP) bovine eggs reconstructed by nuclear transfer, 149 (EPO : 80.0%) and 158 (EGFP : 75.2%) embryos were cleaved, and among them 36 (EPO : 24.2%) and 35 (EGFP : 22.2%) embryos developed to the blastocyst stage. Of these blastocysts, 100% integration of EPO gene in 36 embryos was determined by PCR, and 100% expression of EGFP gene in 35 embryos was observed under the fluorescent microscope. This result indicates that bovine oocytes reconstructed by nuclear transfer of transfected bFF can successfully develop to the blastocyst stage. Furthermore, this novel procedure may be presumably an attractive method efficiently to produce the transgenic cattles.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2005

We cloned cDNA of the PGH(porcine growth hormone) gene and constructed retrovirus vector designed to express PGH gene under the regulation of CMV (cytomegalovirus) promoter. To maximize the expression, WPRE(woodchuck hepatitis virus posttranscriptional regulatory element) sequence was placed at the downstream of the PGH gene. After infection with recombinant viruses, approximately 1×10/sup 6/ PFF(porcine fetal fibroblast) cells released PGH protein into the media as much as 1,400 ng. In a subsequent experiment, a modifications of the retrovirus vector was made to express the PGH gene in a teracycline-inducible manner. In PFF cells carrying these viral vector sequences, addition of doxycycline to the media resulted in 2∼6 fold increase in PGH synthesis. In the modified retrovirus vectors, the WPRE sequence also played a role in boosting the effect of the tetracycline induction. This result indicates that our tetracycline-inducible expression system might be a promising candidate in alleviating the complicate physiological problems caused by constitutive expression of the exogenous genes in the transgenic animals.