• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.45-56
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• 1997

Befor fertilization, mammalian oocytes undergo meiotic maturation, which consists of nuclear and cytoplasmic differentiation. In this study, changes of $Ca^{2+}$ stores in mouse oocytes were examined during meiotic maturation and the role of $Ca^{2+}$ in the regulation of the maturation was investigated by using monoclonal antibodies against smooth endoplasmic reticulum $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase(SERCA-ATPase) and calreticulin. Observations were made under epifluorescence microscope and/or confocal laser scanning microscope. In immature oocytes which did not resume meiotic maturation, SERCA-ATPases were mostly localized in the vicinity of the germinal vesicle and calreticulins were distributed evenly throughout the cytoplasm. In mature oocytes, SERCA-ATPases were observed throughout the cytoplasm, butwere absent from the nuclear region. In contrast, calreticulins were localized mostl in the cortex of the oocyte and were absent from the cytoplasm. However, bright fluoresence stainings were wbserved in the perimeiotic spindle region of mature oocyte when labeled with antibodies against calreticulin. These results indicate that mouse oocytes undergo distinct rearrangement of the localization of $Ca^{2+}$-ATPases and calreticulins during meiotic maturation. Thus it can be suggested that redistribution of the $Ca^{2+}$ stores, as revealed by differential fluorescence stainings, is deeply involved in the regulatory mechanism of mammalian oocyte maturation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.357-366
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• 1996

The present experiments aimed to investigate the metabolism of calcium during oocyte maturation in rat. The concentration of free calcium and calmodulin in oocytes was measured respectively by using of fluo-3/AM and FITC with microscope fluorescence spectrometer. The ultrastructural localization of calcium precipitates in oocytes was observed with the transmission electron microscope. Cumulus-free immature oocytes(GV-oocyte) were cultured in vitro through 15 hours. The free calcium concentration in GV oocyte was $55.9{\pm}3.5nM$. In calcium-containing medium, the free calcium concentration was increased in germinal vesicle breakdown(GVBD) oocyte($64.2{\pm}7.3nM$). In normal medium after calcium chelator treatment ($10{\mu}M$ BAPTA/AM), the free calcium contents were slightly lower than those in control group. In calcium-free medium, the free calcium content was drastically increased in GVBD($72.7{\pm}3.4nM$) and metaphase I - anaphase I ($88.0{\pm}3.4nM$) oocyte. In maturation rate of oocytes, GVBD rate was high in control group($82.9{\pm}6.55%$) and calcium chelator treatment group($91.2{\pm}4.4%$), but in calcium-free medium group, it was low and then the oocyte was degenerated without polar body formation. Relative content of calmodulin in oocyte was significantly(P<0.001) increased in metaphase I - anaphase I than in GV and GVBD oocyte. The calcium precipitates were observed in mitochondria and cytoplasm of GV oocyte but that were not observed in mitochondria of GVBD and metaphase I - anaphase I oocyte. And then the calcium precipitates reappeared in mitochondria of metaphase II oocyte. The above results indicate that changes in free calcium and calmodulin concentration of oocyte occur according to the maturational stages and the extracellular calcium is required during oocyte maturation. Also change of calcium localization in oocyte occurs according to the maturational stages.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.125-132
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• 2008

멜라토닌(N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine)은 포유동물의 뇌의 송과선에서 분비되는 호르몬으로 수면과 생체 리듬 등을 조절하고 난소 기능과 번식에도 영향을 미친다. 또한, 강력한 scavenger로서 항산화제의 역할을 한다. 이 연구의 목적은 멜라토닌이 생쥐 난구세포-핵낭(germinal vesicle, GV) 시기 난자 복합체의 체외성숙에 미치는 영향을 알아보는 것이다. 3주령의 ICR 암컷 생쥐의 난소에서 회수된 난자-난구세포 복합체를 0, 0.1 nM, 10 nM, 1,000 nM의 멜라토닌이 첨가된 배양액에서 18시간 동안 배양하고, 제1극체의 방출 여부를 확인하여 성숙율을 확인하였다. 체외성숙 후 TUNEL assay와 성숙율이 가장 높게 나타났다. 체외성숙된 난자에서는 세포자연사가 나타나지 않았으나 난구세포에서는 관찰되었으며, 1,000 nM을 첨가하여 배양한 군의 난구세포는 유의하게 낮은 세포자연사를 나타냈다. 그리고 1,000 nM의 멜라토닌을 첨가한 군의 난구세포에서 멜라토닌 수용체의 mRNA가 대조군에 비해 낮게 발현되었다. 이상의 결과를 종합하면 체외성숙 배양액에 첨가된 멜라토닌은 난구세포의 세포자연사를 줄여줌으로써 생쥐 미성숙 난자의 체외성숙을 향상시키는 역할을 하는 것으로 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.155-168
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• 2004

Objective: Melatonin, which is secreted by pineal gland play an important role in the regulation of ovarian function via seasonal rhythm and sleep in most mammals. It also has a role in the protection of cells by removing toxic oxygen free radicals brought about by metabolism. In the present study, effects of melatonin on the mouse oocyte maturation were examined using two different culture conditions provided with 5% or 21% oxygen concentration. Material and Method: Immature mouse oocytes were obtained from the ovarian follicles of $3{\sim}4$ weeks old ICR strain mice intraperitoneally injected with 5 I.U. PMSG 44 hour before. Under stereomicroscope, morphologically healthy oocytes with distinct germinal vesicle (GV) were liberated from the graafian follicles and collected using mouth-controlled micropipette. They were then cultured for 17 hour at $37^{circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ and 21% $O_2$ (95% air) or 5% $CO_2$, 5% $O_2$ and 90% $N_2$. New modified Hank's balanced salt solution (New MHBS) was used as a culture medium throughout the experiments. Effects of melatonin were examined at a concentration of $0.0001{\mu}M$, $0.01{\mu}M$ or $1.0{\mu}M$. For the prevention of spontaneous maturation of immature oocytes during culture, dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) and/or hypoxanthine were included in the medium. Results: Under 21% oxygen condition, oocytes cultured in the presence of $0.01{\mu}M$ melatonin showed a significantly higher maturation rates, in terms of germinal vesicle breakdown (95.0% vs 89.0%) and polar body formation (88.1% vs 75.4%), compared to those cultured with $0.0001{\mu}M$ or $1.0{\mu}M$ melatonin. However, no difference was observed in oocytes cultured under 5% oxygen whether they were treated with melatonin or not. In the presence of $0.01{\mu}M$ melatonin, oocytes either cultured under 21% or 5% oxygen exhibited no difference in the polar body formation (85.6% vs 86.7%). However, in the absence of melatonin, oocytes cultured under 21% oxygen exhibited lower polar body formation (74.7%). When oocytes were cultured in the presence of dbcAMP alone or with varying concentrations of melatonin, those treated with both compounds always showed better maturation, i.e., germinal vesicle breakdown and polar body formation, compared to those cultured with dbcAMP alone. At the same concentration of melatonin, however, oocytes exposed to 21% oxygen showed poor maturation than those to 5% oxygen. Similar results were obtained from the experiments using hypoxanthine instead of dbcAMP. Conclusion: Based upon these results, it is suggested that melatonin could enhance the meiotic maturation of mouse oocytes under 21% oxygen concentration, and release oocytes from the meiotic arrest by dbcAMP or hypoxanthine regardless of the concentration of oxygen, probably via the removal of oxygen free radicals.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.71-79
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• 2008

Surface-enhanced laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) is one of the recently developed proteomic technologies which is based on capturing proteins and peptides by chemically modified surfaces and highly sensitive for the analysis of complex biological samples. In the present study, to gain insights into oocyte maturation and early embryo development, SELDI-TOF-MS was used to find the protein candidates that are specifically or prominently expressed in porcine oocytes at the in vitro matured metaphase II (MIIl) and germinal vesicle (GV) stages. By selected CM10 chip, 16 candidates were found to be up-regulated in GV stage oocytes compared with in MII stage oocytes, their molecular weights were 8,180 (2 candidates), 10,226 (5 candidates), 15,767 (5 candidates) and 16,770 (4 candidates) Da respectively. And the expression of 29 candidates were higher in MII than in GV stage oocytes, their molecular weight were 10,832 (3 candidates), 17,743 (8 candidates), 20,122 (3 candidates), 22,131 (3 candidates), 24,857 (7 candidates) and 33,507 (5 candidates) Da, respectively. The expression of selected 13 candidates (0.2 and 1.0 % error tolerances) were analyzed using real time RT-PCR. The proteins that differentially regulated during oocyte in vitro maturation in the pigs may be potential biomarkers of oocyte maturation and quality.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.127-135
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• 2023

Effects of changes in photoperiod on the reproductive events in fish are suggested to be mediated mainly via the action of melatonin (MEL). Changing levels of plasma MEL throughout the day and year are suggested to influence the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis in fish. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of MEL on oocyte maturation and germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) in the marine fish, Chaenogobius annularis, in vitro. Oocytes at three different stages (pre-, mid-, and late-vitellogenesis) were incubated with (a) only MEL (5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 pg/mL) and (b) 50 pg/mL of 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17α20βP), maturation-inducing hormone (MIH) of this species, and MEL (4-h incubation before addition of MIH). Any single MEL treatment did not significantly induce GVBD. However, treatment with 50 pg/mL MEL or MIH significantly induced GVBD. These results suggest that preincubation with MEL accelerates the effect of MIH on longchin goby oocyte maturation.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.263-267
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• 2003

본 연구에서 소 미성숙 난자의 성숙 배양 시 세포주기 억제제인 cycloheximide, 6-DMAP, rosco-vitine를 첨가하였을 때 난자의 감수분열이 억제제비 첨가난자에 비해 높은 비율로 germinal vesicle 기에서 정지된 것이 관찰되었다. 또한 cyclohexi-mide, 6-DMAP, roscovitine을 배지에서 제거한 후 다시 추가적인 체외 성숙 배양을 실시하여 ger-minal vesicle기에 정지된 세포주기의 진행이 재개되어 난자의 감수분열 완료 및 성숙이 세포주기억제제 비 첨가난자와 거의 동등하게 나타난 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 본 연구를 통하여 cyclo-heximide, 6-DMAP, roscovitine의 소 미성숙 난자의 세포주기 조절작용이 가역적임을 알 수 있었으며 난자의 세포 주기 동기화에 이용할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

Recently, we have shown that some endocrine disruptors, heavy metals, organotins and azoles suppressed steroidogenic enzymes such as P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) and aromatase in bullfrog ovarian follicles. In the present study, by using an amphibian ovarian follicle culture system, we examined the effects of these endocrine disruptors on maturation and ovulation of oocytes from Rana dybowskii in vitro. Ovarian fragments or isolated follicles were cultured for 24 h in a medium containing frog pituitary homogenate (FPH) or progesterone ($P_{4}$) with or without endocrine disruptors, and oocyte maturation (germinal vesicle breakdown, GVBD) and ovulation were examined. Among the organotins, tributyltin (TBT) strongly inhibited both FPH-and $P_{4}-induced$ oocyte maturation ($ED_{50}$:0.6 and 0.7 ${\mu}M$, respectively); however, tetrabutyltin (TTBT) and dibutyltin (DBT) showed only partial suppression, while monobutyltin (MBT) showed no inhibitory effect. All of the organotins suppressed $P_{4}-induced$ oocyte ovulation very effectively at a low concentration, and TBT and DBT exerted an inhibitory effect on FPH-induced ovulation. Among the heavy metals, mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd) and cobalt (Co) were very effective in inhibiting FPH-induced oocyte maturation and ovulation, while lead (Pb), arsenite (As) and zinc (Zn) were less effective. However, all of the heavy metals suppressed FPH-induced oocyte ovulation at a high dose ($100{\mu}M$). Among the azoles, itraconazole (ICZ), ketoconazole (KCZ) and clotrimazole (CTZ) effectively inhibited FPH-induced oocyte maturation and ovulation, while econazole (ECZ), miconazole (MCZ) and fluconazole (FCZ) were considerably less effective. These results demonstrated that the abovementioned endocrine disruptors exhibited differential effects on oocyte maturation and ovulation in amphibian follicles and that the frog ovarian culture system could be used as an effective experimental tool to screen and evaluate the toxicity of various endocrine disruptors in vitro.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.71-76
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• 2007

Previous studies have shown that BMI-1026 is a potent inhibitor of the cyclin-dependent kinases (cdk). In cell culture, the compound also arrests G2/M strongly and G1/S and S weakly. Two key kinases, cdk1 (p34cdc2 kinase) and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (erk1 and 2), perform crucial roles during oocyte maturation and, later, metaphase II (MII) arrest. In mammalian oocytes, both kinases are activated gradually around the time of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and maintain high activity in eggs arrested at metaphase II. In this study, we examined the effects of BMI-1026 on GVBD and MII arrest in mouse oocytes. BMI-1026 inhibited GVBD of immature oocytes and activated MII-arrested oocytes in a concentration-dependent manner, with more than 90% of oocytes exhibiting GVBD inhibition and MII activation at 100 nM This is approximately 500$\sim$1,000 times more potent than the activity reported for the cdk inhibitors roscovitine (${\sim}50{\mu}M$) and butyrolactone (${\sim}100{\mu}M$). Based on the results of previous in vitro kinase assays, we expected BMI-1026 to inhibit only cdk1 activation in oocytes and eggs, not MAP kinase. However, in our cell-based system, it inhibited the activity of both kinases. We also found that the effect of BMI-1026 is reversible. Our results suggest that BMI-1026 inhibits GVBD and activates MII-arrested oocytes efficiently and reversibly and that it also inhibits both cdk1/histone HI kinase and MAP kinase in mouse oocytes.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.251-256
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• 2011

Presently, the effect of 0.5 mM dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP)-supplemented maturation medium during different incubation time on meiotic arrest (germinal vesicle) and resumption (metaphase II) of porcine oocytes and embryonic development of porcine oocytes following in vitro fertilization (IVF) or parthenogenetic activation (PA) was determined. Porcine cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured in 0.5 mM dbcAMP for 17, 22, 27, or 42 h, and an additional 22 h without 0.5 mM dbcAMP. The nuclear status was examined at each time point. Oocytes cultured from 39~49 h displayed more than 80% meiotic resumption. More than 85 % of meiotic arrest was presented at 17~22 h. Oocytes were cultured for 22 h with 0.5 mM dbcAMP and additional 22 h without dbcAMP to assess developmental potential following IVF or PA. There were no significant differences in blastocyst rates among the dbcAMPIVF, IVF, dbcAMP-PA, and PA groups, although cleavage rate of IVF group was significantly higher than those of dbcAMP-PA, and PA groups. In conclusion, 0.5 mM dbcAMP influenced meiotic maturation of porcine oocytes depending on incubation time of oocyte, although embryonic development was not improved in both IVF and PA.