• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.1071-1086
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• 2003

Reproductive biotechnologies continue to be developed for genetic improvement of both river and swamp buffalo. Although artificial insemination using frozen semen emerged some decades back, there are still considerable limitations. The major problem appears to be the lack of efficient methods for estrus detection and timely insemination. Controlled breeding experiments in the buffalo had been limited and similar to those applied in cattle. Studies on multiple ovulation and embryo transfer are essentially a replica of those in cattle, however with inherent problems such as lower number of primordial follicles on the buffalo ovary, poor fertility and seasonality of reproduction, lower population of antral follicles at all stages of the estrous cycle, poor endocrine status and a high incidence of deep atresia in ovarian follicles, the response in terms of transferable embryo recovery has remained low with 0.51 to 3.0 per donor and pregnancy rates between 15 to 30%. In vitro production of buffalo embryos is a valid alternative to recovery of embryos by superovulation. This aspect received considerable attention during the past decade, however the proportion of embryos that develops to the blastocyst stage is still around 25-30% and hence the in vitro culture procedures need substantial improvement. Embryo cryopreservation procedures for direct transfer post thaw need to be developed for bubaline embryos. Nuclear transfer and embryo cloning is a technique that has received attention in various species during recent years and can be of immense value in buffaloes as they have a low rate of embryo recoveries by both in vitro and in vivo procedures. Gender pre-selection, genome analysis, gene mapping and gene transfer are a few of the techniques that have been studied to a limited extent during recent years and are likely to be included in future studies on buffaloes. Very recently, reproductive biotechnologies have been applied to feral buffaloes as well, but the results obtained so far are modest. When fully exploited they can play an important role in the preservation of endangered species.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.323-332
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• 1992

The present study was carried out to examine the effect of oviduct epithelium and its conditioned medium on e development of early bovine embryos in vitro. Oocytes obtained from ovarian follicles of slaughtered cows were cultured in TCM199 with 10% fetal calf serum for 22-24hrs and then fertillzed in vitro using frozen-thawed semen treated with BO-caffein, BO-BSA(20mM heparin added). Oviduct epithelium was collected in each stage of the estrus cycle and conditioned medium was the medium in which oviduct epithelium in early luteal stage was cultured. In vitro fertilized bovine embryos of 1～2 cell were co-cultured with oviduct epithelium from different estrus cycles, cultured in conditioned medium, and cultured in rabbit oviduct. The cleavage rates of in vitro fertilized early bovine embryos co-cultured with oviduct epithelial cell from early luteal, luteal and follicular phase of estrus cycle(67.2～70.8%) and cultured in conditioned medium(56.7%) were significantly(p<0.05) higher than that of the control(44.2%) The rate of development to morula or blastocyst stage in oviduct epithelial cell co-culture(15.3～32.5%) from three phase of estrus cycles and conditioned medium(14.5%) were significantly(p<0.05) higher than that of the control(5.2%). The oviduct epithelial cell from early luteal phase gave a significantly( p<0.05) higher rate of development to morula or blastocyst stage than both luteal and follicular phase. The results of in vivo culture in rabbit oviduct of early bovine embryos were 52.1% for the cleavage rate and 26.7% for the rate of development to morula or blastocyst stage.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.179-188
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• 1993

The developmental capacity of bovine oocytes under three different culture systems was investigated in this experiment ; One was culture in TCM199 with bovine oviductal epithelial cells(BOEC) for in vitro culture, another was culture in TCM199 with BOEC for 2 days and then transfer of 4~8cell embryos to rabbit oviduct(RO) and the other was transfer of 1 or 2cell embryos to RO for in vivo culture. And the other concern of this experiment was to investigate the effect of culture period and transfer site on recovery. Immature bovine oocytes were cultured in TCM199 with granulosa cells for 22-24hrs and then fertilized in vitro using frozen-thawed semen treated with BO-caffine and BO-BSA. Fifteen to 18hrs after in vitro fertilization oocytes were cultured in TCM199 with BOEC or transferred to RO for 5 days. The rate of development to the morula or blastocyst was higher in transfer of 1 or 2cell embryos to RO(23.1%) than culture in TCM199 with BOEC(11.7%). But, there was no difference between transfer of 1 or 2cell embryos and transfer of 4~8cell embryos to RO(12.8%). Recovery under different culture periods in RO was significantly higher in 90~95hrs(70.1%) than 122~125hrs(50.9%, p<0.05) and recovery significantly increased when oocytes were transferred deeper in RO(2.5cm>, 47.7% ; 2.5~4.5cm, 63.9% ; 4.5cm<, 77.3%, p<0.05). The results show that transfer of 1 or 2cell embryos to RO is an effective means of supporting the further development of in vitro matured and fertilized bovine oocytes than culture in TCM199 with BOEC or transfer of 4~8cell embryos to RO, and recovery from RO increases when oocytes are transferred deeper and incubated shorter in RO.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.295-300
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to evaluate efficiency of methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MBCD) in the sperm preservation of bull. For this study, the freezing of diluted semen were added with Triladyl containing 20% egg-yolk and/or 0, 1, 5, 10 and 20 mM MBCD before freezing process. Analysis of viability in frozen-thawed sperm was estimated by SYBR14/PI double stain, hypoosmotic swelling test(HOST) and acrosome damage with FITC-PNA, and mitochondria activation with Rhodamin123 by flow-cytometry. The sperm viability was significantly in 0 mM and 5 mM concentrations of MBCD than other groups (p<0.05). However, the HOST was significantly lower at 20 mM concentration of MBCD than other concentrations (p<0.05). In addition, acrosome damage and mitochondria activation rates were significantly lower at 20 mM concentration of MBCD than other groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, the viability of sperm was not significantly different among concentrations of MBCD 0, 5 and 10 mM, but MBCD 20 mM was significantly lower than other groups. In addition, as concentrations of MBCD was high, HOST, acrosome damage and mitochondria activation rates had a negative effect in bull sperm.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.105-109
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• 2011

Ovulation synchronization (ovsynch) has proved to increase the number of insemination in cattle by overcoming the problems of heat detection. The aim of this study was to do ovsynch in water buffaloes where heat detection is a major reproductive problem and to determine the conception rates after timed artificial insemination (TAI). Twenty cyclic buffaloes at ${\geq}$ 60 days postpartum were selected by examining 24 unobserved estrus buffaloes based on milk progesterone assay (progesterone concentration ${\geq}$ 1.0 ng/ml) from the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh. Ovsynch treatment regimen was started irrespective of the stage of estrous cycle. Gonadorelin (500 ${\mu}g$) was injected intramuscularly at Day 0 followed by Alfaprostol (8 mg) at Day 7. A second injection of Gonadorelin was given at Day 9 and TAI was done with frozen semen from Mediterranean buffalo bulls at 16~20 hours of the second Gonadorelin injection. Milk progesterone ELISA at Day 10~12 post AI confirmed ovulation in 16 out of 20 (80%) buffaloes (progesterone concentration ${\geq}$ 1.0 ng/ml). High progesterone concentration (${\geq}$ 1.0 ng/ml) at Day 10~12 and Day 22~24 of AI showed pregnancy in six out of 20 (30%) buffaloes. Pregnancy was further confirmed by ultrasonography at Day 40 in these six buffaloes. In conclusion, ovsynch followed by TAI could be applied in cyclic buffaloes for overcoming the estrus detection problems; however, more studies are needed to increase the conception rate.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.938-943
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• 2002

This study was perfonned to detect polymorphisms of the two candidate genes, bovine BTN (Butyrophilin) and ST AT5a (Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription) gene using 98 Holstein bulls' frozen semen, and to offer the basic information for QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) analysis. Each BTN PCR product was digested with endonuclease restriction enzyme. The digested fragments of four BTN PCR products were observed as follows: 316,280, and 162 bp in BTN1, 568, 305 and 263 bp in BTN2, 576, 332, and 244 bp in BTN3, and 573, 291, and 282 bp in BTN4, respectively. The gene frequencies of A and B allele in four BTN loci were as follows: 0.8980 and 0.1020 in BTN1, 0.5510 and 0.4490 in BTN2, 0.8163 and 0.1837 in BTN3, and 0.8875 and 0.1122 in BTN4, respectively. And three genotypes (homotypel, heterotype, and homotype2) for STAT5a were observed by SSCP (single stranded conformational polymorphism) method and the genotype frequencies are 78.57%, 19.39%, and 2.04%, respectively. The PlC (Polymorphism Information Content) value and heterozygosity of four BTN loci were as follows: 0.1695 and 0.1870 in BTN1, 0.3713 and 0.4927 in BTN2, 0.2549 and 0.2999 in BTN3, and 0.1794 and 0.1992 in BTN4, respectively. Comparing with the reported data, PlC value of BTN2 might have the possibility to be useful marker. Other BTN loci indicated skewed allele distribution.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.4
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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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.84-84
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• 2002

The advantages of the OPS techniques(Vajta G et al, Mol Reprod Dev 51: 53-58,1998) give 1) high survival rates of various types of eggs, 2) quick and simple process, 3) inexpensive equipment and reduced chilling injury. The efficiency of IVM/IVF technique in the porcine species is relatively lower than that obtained in other species such as ruminants. Two experiments were designed to investigate the effects of in-vitro fertilization of porcine oocytes matures using different OPS protocol for chilling and warming of vitrification. Porcine oocytes from ovaries collected at abattoir were matured for 44 hours in TCM199 Earle's salt supplemental with pyruvate, pff, L-cysteine, hormones and gentamycin. Oocytes were denuded and fertilized with frozen boar semen by common method. Porcine embryos produced routinely by in-vitro culture system of NCSU23 medium. The vitrification and the warming were conducted by OPS method with the glass micropipette instead of straw vessels and modified the protocol of G.Vajta(1999). In Exp 1, Chilling/Warming:Holding Medium(HM)+EG+DMSO/HM +sucrose Medium(SM) at 39$^{\circ}C$ warm stage. In Exp 2, : PBS+CS+EG+Ficoll+ Trehalose/PBS+Trehalose at 25$^{\circ}C$ stage. Filling, freezing, packing, thawing out and further culturing were performed to follow the basic protocol of G Vajta. During IVM-lVC and post-warming, fertilization parameter and developmental potential were compared to and statistically analysed. It was not significantly different from Exp 1 and Exp 2 but 25$^{\circ}C$ of stage was slightly higher on the morula/blastocyst forming rate and better atmosphere for worker than that at 39$^{\circ}C$ stage.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.301-306
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• 2004

본 연구는 개의 신선 및 동결 정소상체 정액과 정소상체 정액을 saline가 tris-buffer액으로 희석하고 원심분리에 의해 정장성분을 제거한 정액의 성상과 및 동결보존 시의 생존성 및 난포란과 정소상체 정자의 체외수정 후 체외수정율과 분할율에 대해 조사하였다. 개 정소상체 정액을 saline으로 희석한 정액을 20분간 배양했을 때 정자농도는 3.50$\pm$0.80${\times}$l0$^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$, 정자의 활력은 72.45$\pm$4.55%, 기형정자 수는 7.40$\pm$1.20%로 나타났으며, 대조군인 사출정액의 정자농도는 5.45$\pm$0.50${\times}$$10^{6}$cells/$m\ell$, 정자의 활력은 92.55$\pm$4.65%, 기형정자 수는 3.25$\pm$0.45%와 비교할 때 정자농도와 활력은 낮았으며, 기형정자 수는 많았다. 개 정소상체 정액과 tris-buffer로 희석한 정액을 20분간 배양했을 때 정자농도는 3.80$\pm$0.36${\times}$$10^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$, 정자활력은 78.45$\pm$3.50%, 기형정자 수는 5.54$\pm$0.85%였으며, 희석하지 않은 정소상체 정액의 성상에 비해 약간 높게 나타났다. Tris-buffer로 희석한 개 정소상체 정액을 동결 융해했을 때 생존율은 57.50$\pm$4.20%, 활력은 52.70$\pm$5.50%였으며, 희석하지 않은 대조군의 생존을 74.50$\pm$6.25%와 활력 78.50$\pm$5.20%에 비해 현저히 높게 나타났다. 개 난포란과 신선 몇 동결 정소상체 정자와 체외수정시켰을 때 체외수정율은 각각 63.10$\pm$6.45%, 49.50$\pm$4.28% 및 42.84$\pm$5.90%, 22.30$\pm$5.60%로서 신선 정자에 비해 동결 정소상체 정자로 수정시킨 군의 분할율이 유의하게 낮았다.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.307-313
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• 2004

본 연구는 고양이의 신선 및 동결 정소상체 정액과 정소상체 정액 성상과 및 동결보존시의 생존성 및 난포란과 정소상체 정자의 체외수정 후 체외수정율과 분할율에 대해 조사하였다. 고양이 정소상체 정액의 정자농도는 3.25$\pm$0.75${\times}$$10^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$, 정자의 활력은 70.85$\pm$4.20%, 기형정자 수는 8.55$\pm$1.85%로서 대조군인 사출정액의 정자농도는 5.05$\pm$0.40${\times}$$10^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$, 정자의 활력은 90.24$\pm$455%, 기형정자 수는 4.20$\pm$0.50%와 비교할 때 정자농도와 활력은 낮았으며, 기형정자 수는 많았다. 고양이 정액과 tris-buffer로 희석한 정액을 20분간 배양했을 때 정자농도는 3.50$\pm$0.40${\times}$$10^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$, 정자활력 은 75.50$\pm$2.55%, 기 형정자 수는 6.75$\pm$0.58%로서 희석하지 않은 정소상체 정액의 성상에 비해 약간 높게 나타났다. Tris-buffer로 희석한 고양이 정소상체 정액을 동결 융해했을 때 생존율은 54.50$\pm$4.45, 활력은 47.50$\pm$6.40%로서 희석하지 .않은 대조군의 생존을 74.50$\pm$6.25%와 활력 78.50$\pm$5.20%에 비해 현저히 높게 나타났다. 고양이의 난포란과 신선 및 동결 정소상체 정자를 수정시켰을 때 체외수정율과 분할율은 68.30$\pm$5.35%, 57.25$\pm$4.35% 및 48.65$\pm$4.95%, 35.65 $\pm$4.75%로서 신선 정자에 비해 동결 정소상체 정자로 수정시킨 군의 분할율이 유의하게 낮았다.