• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 1999

This study assessed development in vitro of pronuclear(PN) stage embryos cryopreserved by the method of either vitrification or slow freezing, by using of different cryoprotectants, and equilibration and cooling rate, in rabbit. Ethyleneglycol- ficoll- sucrose(EFS) or ethyleneglycol- polyvinylpyrrolidone - galactose- (EPG-I) for vitrification, and EPG- II for slow freezing as cryoprotectant were used. The pronuclear embryos were exposed to EFS for 0 to 5 min and diluted with D-PBS and/or pre-dilution with 0.5 M sucrose. To examine the viability of frozen-thawed embryos, PN embryos were co-cultured with bovine oviductal epitherial cell(BOEC) for 5 days to hatching blastocyst stage in 39 $^{\circ}C$ 5% $CO_2$incubator. The results obtained were as follows: The dilution with 0.5 M sucrose and D-PBS after the exposure to EFS for 1.0 min resulted in no significant(P＜0.05) decrease in the development of PN embryos to hatching blastocyst(72.0%), compared with controls. The development of PN embryos cryopreserved to hatching blastocyst was not significantly (P＜0.05) different between EFS for 1.0 min(72.0%), EPG-I for 1.0 min(72.0%) and EPG-II for 30 min(66. 7%). The post-thaw development of PN embryos to hatching blastocyst was similarly very low as 6.1% and 11.5% in vitrification with EFS and slow freezing with EPG-II, respectively. The incidence of post-thaw zona-crack in PN embryos cryopreserved by slow freezing with plunging to liquid nitrogen at －35$^{\circ}C$ was signicantly(P＜0.05) higher(25.0%), compared with －85$^{\circ}C$ (1.9%). These results indicated that the rabbit PN embryos could be cryopreserved with either vitrification or slow freezing procedure, and frozen PN embryos could be successfully developed in vitro to haching blastocyst. but the post-thaw development of cryopreserved PN embryos was still very low under the present conditions.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2007

This study was conducted to examine the characteristics of fresh and frozen semen, proliferating efficiency by AI, and the coat color of offsprings in Korean Native Striped Cattle (Bos namadicus Falconer, Chikso). Semen were collected from 6 heads of tiger-coated male Chikso. In vitro fertilization (IVF) was conducted with frozen-thawed semen and in vitro matured Korean native brown cattle (general Hanwoo) oocytes. Total 18 heads of Hanwoo and Chikso were inseminated using Chikso semen. Coat colors of total 40 offsprings produced by AI were evaluated. The characteristics of the fresh and frozen-thawed Chikso semen did not differ among individuals. In vitro fertilization rate of Chikso semen was not different from that of general Hanwoo semen. However, developmental rate to the blastocyst stage of IVF embryos was higher in Chikso semen (25.9%) than in general Hanwoo semen (p<0.05). There was no difference in conception rate after AI between Chikso and general Hanwoo. The coat colors of offsprings varied, only 42.5% (17/40 heads) of offsprings had tiger coat color. Futhermore, only 55% of offsprings produced from the tiger-coated recipients had tiger coat color. This result shows that proliferation of Chikso by AI is possible, but further research approaches may be needed to enhance the productivity of tiger-coated Chikso.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.221-226
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• 2016

The aim of the present study was to assess the embryo development and survivability of post-thawed bovine embryos produced in vitro by addition of cysteine. The rates of metaphase II formation were not differed significantly among three groups(TCM199 73.8%, TCM199 with 0.3% cysteine 76.9%, TCM199 with 0.5% cysteine 83.8%, respectively). No difference of cleavage rate(70.6~74.6%) was seen among three culture medium(TCM199 70.6%, CR1aa 71.3%, SOF 74.6%) with 0.5M cysteine. however, Significantly(P<0.05) higher development rate into blastocyst stage by 0.5M cysteine addition was obtained in SOF medium(35.6%) than in TCM199(27.6%) or CR1aa(26.6%), however no significant differences in the cleavage rates were among three culture medium. After frozen the blastocysts cultured with 0.5M cysteine, The re-expansion rates were 61.3%~86.4% among groups, and hatching rates were 26.3%~46.9% among groups, the rates of re-expansion and hatching were significantly(P<0.05) higher in SOF medium(86.4% and 46.9%) than those in TCM199(61.3% and 26.3%) and CR1aa medium(87.1 and 44.4%). After thawing, the blastocyst re-expansion rate was significantly(P<0.05) higher in in vivo (87.1%) and in vitro (70.3%) embryos. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that supplementation of IVM and IVC medium with 0.5M cysteine improved the quality of in vitro production embryo and post- thawed embryo. Future studies comparing these media systems in well-designed trials should be performed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.980-987
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of cell status of BOEC on development of bovine IVM/IVF embryos and gene expression in BOEC before or after culturing of embryos. The developmental rates beyond morula stage in the BOEC co-culture group was significantly higher than in the control group (p<0.05). In particular, blastocyst production in the BOEC co-culture group (28.3%) was dramatically increased compared with the control group (7.2%). In the in vitro development of bovine IVM/IVF embryos according to cell status, the developmental rates beyond morula stage in the primary culture cell (PCC) co-culture group were the highest of all experimental groups. Expression of genes related to growth (TGF-${\beta}$ EGF and IGFBP), apoptosis (Bax, Caspase-3 and p53) and antioxidation (CuZnSOD, MnSOD, Catalase and GPx) in different status cells of BOEC for embryo culture was detected by RT-PCR. While EGF gene was detected in isolated fresh cells (IFC) and PCC, TGF-${\beta}$ and IGFBP were found in IFC or PCC after use in the embryo culture, respectively. Caspase-3 and Bax genes were detected in all experimental groups regardless of whether the BOEC was used or not used in the embryo culture. However, p53 gene was found in IFC of both conditions for embryo culture and in frozen/thawed culture cells (FPCC) after use in the embryo culture. Although antioxidant genes examined were detected in all experimental groups before using for the embryo culture, these genes were not detected after use. This study indicated that the BOEC co-culture system used for in vitro culture of bovine IVF embryos can increase the developmental rates, and cell generations and status of BOEC might affect the in vitro development of bovine embryos. The BOEC monolayer used in the embryo culture did not express the growth factors (TGF-${\beta}$ and EGF) and enzymatic antioxidant genes, thereby improving embryo development in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.647-659
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• 1997

To overcome the difficulties of collecting and culture of primary cell from genital tract on embryonic development, the present study was carried out to investigate the critical effect of cell lines, such as BRL and Vero cell and its conditioned medium on the development of early Korean native cattle embryos in vitro. Oocytes collected from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured in TCM199 containing FSH, estradiol-$17{\beta}$ and FBS with granulosa cell monolayer for 24 hours and then fertilized in vitro using frozen-thawed, heparin-treated spermatozoa in TALP for 30 hours. And then early embryos (1-2cell) were cultured in TCM199 containing 10% FBS with BOEC, Granulosa, BRL, Vera cell monolayers and conditioned medium for 2~3 days. Development to morulae and blastocysts were recorded, also examined the number of blastomeres presented a valuable parameter for the evaluation of embryonic development. The early cleavage rates of in vitro fertilized embryos co-cultured, there was no differences between primary cell and cell lines(p<0.05). The rate of development to the later stage, coculture of BRL cell was significantly higher than that of the primary cell(p<0.05). The rates of development to morula and blastocyst were significantly higher in vero cell than BRL, Granulosa, Oviduct epithelial cell conditioned medium. In the result of effect of serum on development of early bovine embryos, the use of media containing serum were significantly higher than the use of not containing one on development of early and later stage of embryos. The result of number of blastomeres in blastocysts, there is no differences between primary cell and cell lines. The blastocysts from coculture were higher than from conditioned medium in blastomere cells. In summary, these experments have proved that the culture system in TCM199 with BRL, Vero cell monolayers is effective on in vitro development of early bovine embryos, In addition, it is effective to development of bovine embryos that containing serum in conditioned medium, or in co-culture rather than in conditioned medium alone. The use of cell lines opponent to primary cells is effective in bovine embryo culture.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 2004

The aims of this study are 1) to test oocytes and embryos collected from in-vitro to achieving the valuable protocol by culturing, vitrifying and thawing of oocytes/embryos, and 2) to transfer them to recipient, and finally have resulted in pregnancies from recipient females after surgical or nonsurgical transfer. In vitro maturation and fertilization were performed according to Funahashi et al (1994). Glucose-free NCSU 23 supplemented with 5 mM sodium pyruvate, 0.5 mM sodium lactate and 4 mg/ml bovine serum albumin for 2 days at $39^{\circ}C$, and 10% fetal bovine serum albumin was added to the culture medium thereafter. Embryos were treated with 7.5 ${\mu}g/ml$ cytochalasin-B for 30 min, centrifuged at 13,000 rpm for 13 min and then exposed sequentially to an ethylene glycol(EG) vitrification solution, aspirated into OPS, and plunged/thawed into/from liquid nitrogen. In vivo embryos were surgically collected from three dornors after AI for control group. Forty-nine embryos were washed 3 times in mPBS + 10% FBS, followed treatments : cultured, centrifuged, vitrified, recovered and transferred to recipients as in vitro prepared embryos. Three recipients were transferred individually with 100, 100 frozen embryos derived from abattoir and 34 fresh embryos by surgically, and another three recipients were transferred individually with 150, 150 frozen embryos and 100 fresh embryos by nonsurgically, respectively. all recipient sows exhibited delayed returns to estrus. To our knowledge, theses results suggest that required an improved techniques, more vigorous embryos preparation and substitute to gilt with cleaner uterous condition.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 1998

This study was designed to evaluate the influence of pronuclear age on the survival and post-thawing development after cryopreservation of mouse embryos. Freezing and thawing were performed in the different pronuclear stages of mouse embryos after IVF. Embryos were obtained from $F_1$ hybrid mice and classified into 4 groups according to the pronuclear stage (6hr, 9hr, 12hr and 15hr after insemination). Pronuclear ova were slowly cooled in a biological freezer using 1.5M 1,2-propanediol and 0.1M sucrose as cryoprotectant. Thawing was done at room temperature and 1,2-propanediol was removed by multi-step dilutions. Both frozen-thawed embryos and control fresh embryos were cultured in vitro in Ham's F-10 medium supplemented with 4mg/ml BSA. In control group, the development rate after 48hr was 99.3%, and the complete hatching rate after 144hr was 61.3%. In experimental groups, the survival rate after thawing was 95.4% in 6hr, 88.7% in 9hr, 75.2% in 12hr and 62.4% in 15hr after insemination, the development rate after 48hr was 61.1, 77.0, 67.0 and 79.6%, respectively, and the complete hatching rate after 144hr was 25.7, 43.7, 42.2 and 60.0%, respectively. The survival rate in 15hr was significantly lower (p<0.05) compared with other groups. In vitro development rates after 48hr were similar in all groups, but complement hatching rate was significantly lower (p<0.05) in 6hr group. In conclusion, cryopreservation of mouse pronuclear ova with 2 distinct pronuclei (9hr and 12hr groups) showed better results after thawing compared with early (6hr group) or late pronuclear ova just prior to cleavage (15hr group).

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2007

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of slow freezing with vitrification method for cryopreservation of mouse pronuclear stage embryos. Methods: Mouse pronuclear embryos obtained from superovulated mice and classified into 2 groups of slow freezing and vitrification. Slow freezing solution consisted of 1.5 M PROH, 0.1 M sucrose, while vitrification solution consisted of 40% ethylene glycol, 18% Ficoll and 0.5 M sucrose diluted in Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline supplemented with 10% SSS. Recovery and survival rates after thawing and development rates to hatching balstocyst stage were compared between two groups. Results: After freezing and thawing, recovery rate of slow freezing group was 93.8%, whereas vitrification group was 66.5% (p<0.01). Survival rate of recovered embryos were similar between two groups as 83.2% in slow freezing and 87.6% in vitrification. Embryo development rates to 2-cell stage after 24 hrs (77.0% vs 59.1%), 4-cell after 48 hrs (72.6% vs 53.3%), blastocyst after 96 hrs (53.1% vs 40.1%) of thawing were significantly higher in vitrification group than those of slow freezing group, respectively. Conclusion: The vitrification method may provide better developmental competence of frozen-thawed embryos than that of slow freezing method for cryopreservation of mouse pronuclear stage embryos.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.193-202
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• 2003

Objective: To evaluate the difference of implantation rate (IR) and clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) between two protocols of endometrial preperation in women undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles. Methods: This study was performed during the different time periods: A retrospective study from January 2000 to June 2001 (phase I) and a prospective study from July 2001 to March 2002 (phase II). All the patients received estradiol valerate (6 mg p.o. daily) starting from day 1 or 2 of the menstrual cycle without pituitary down regulation. Progesterone was administered around day 14 after sonographic confirmation of endometrial thickness $\geq$7 mm and no growing follicle. In Group A (n=88, 99 cycles) of phase I, progesterone was administered i.m. at a dose of 50 mg daily from one day prior to thawing of pronuclear (PN) stage frozen embryo or three days prior to thawing of 6-8 cell stage frozen embryo and then each stage embryos were trasnsferred 2 days or 1 day later after thawing. In Group B (n=246, 299 cycles) of phase I, patients recieved progesterone 100 mg i.m. from one day earlier than group A; two days prior to PN embryo thawing, four days prior to of 6-8 cell embryo thawing. During the phase II, to exclude any differences in embryo transfer procedures, in Group 1 (n=23, 28 cycles) of phase II embryo was transfered by one who have used the progesterone protocol since the phase I. In Group 2 (n=122, 139 cycles) of phase II embryo was transfered by one who use the progesterone protocol from the phase II. Results: When compared across the phase and group, there were no significant differences in the characteristics. During the phase I, there were significant increase in IR (14.4% vs 5.9%, p=0.001) and CPR (28.3% vs 14.5%, p=0.000) in group A. During the phases II, IR (11.8% vs 10.6%) and CPR (27.6% vs 27.3%) show no differences between two groups. Conclusions: In FET cycles, IR and CPR are increased significantly by the change of dosage and timing of progesterone administraton. And the timing is considered to be more important factor because the dosage of progesterone did not affect implantation window in previous studies. Therefore, we suggest that progesterone administration in FET cycle should begin from one day prior to PN stage embryo thawing and three days prior to 6-8 cell stage embryo thawing.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2001

This study was done to examine the relationship between serum chemical values (urea nitrogen, glucose, total protein and cholesterol) of recipients and pregnancy rate following embryo transfer. Blood samples were taken from 184 Holstein heifers or cows on Day 6 or 7 (Day 0=day of estrus) to analysis for serum urea nitrogen, glucose, total protein and cholesterol concentrations. After selection of recipients, frozen Holstein embryos were thawed and directly transferred to recipients non-surgically. The average serum concentrations of urea nitrogen, glucose, total protein and cholesterol were 13.8 mg/dl, 56.5 mg/dl, 7.2 mg/dl, 124.8 mg/dl, respectively. The average concentrations of serum urea nitrogen and cholesterol were lower (P<0.05) in pregnant recipients (10.7 mg/dl, 99.2 mg/dl) than in non-pregnant recipients (13.0 mg/dl, 122.2 mg/dl), respectively, although the concentrations of glucose and total protein were not different. These results show serum urea nitrogen and cholesterol concentrations can be used important factors for selection of recipients in Holstein.