• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between body weight, body condition score (BCS), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), glucose, cholesterol and number of transferable embryos for the purpose of improving reproductive performance in Hanwoo donors. Seventy five cows, at random stages of the estrous cycle, received a CIDR together with injection of 1mg estradiol benzoate and 50 mg progesterone, and gonadotropin treatment begann. Four days later, the animals were superovulated with a total of 28AU FSH (Antorin, 2AU = 1 ml) administered twice daily in constant doses over 4 days. On the 3rd administration of FSH, CIDR was withdrawn and 25 mg $PGF_2{\alpha}$ was administered. Cows were artificially inseminated twice after estrous detection at 12 hr intervals. The cows received $100{\mu}g$ GnRH at the time of 1st insemination. Embryos were recovered 7 days after the 1st insemination. In conclusion, cows with body weight < 400, 400~450 and > 450kg had number of transferable embryos of $4.2{\pm}1.7$, $6.1{\pm}2.7$ and $4.8{\pm}2.6$, cows with BCS <2.25, 2.25~2.75 and ${\geq}2.75$ had number of transferable embryos of $4.6{\pm}1.6$, $5.7{\pm}2.4$ and $5.1{\pm}2.7$ respectively. These data indicate that a body weight and BCS for superovulation of CIDR-treated Korean native cows does not affect the embryo yield.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.451-458
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• 2007

This study was to investigate the effectiveness of pre-weaning injection of gonadotropin and scheduled fixed-time insemination on sow fertility. Sows were randomly assigned to receive gonadotropin 2 days before weaning, 1 day after weaning or none as control. In gonadotropin treated groups, half of sows were inseminated twice at 24 and 36 hours after onset estrus and half of sows were inseminated twice at scheduled fixed-time. Weaning to onset of estrus was the shortest in lactating sows injected with gonadotropin prior to weaning. Liter size was significantly higher in AI groups after detection of estrus, compared to fixed-time AI group. Results of these experiments indicated that injection of gonadotropin in lactating sows could initiate the final follicular development, and has potential to enhance the reintegration of estrus. Further researches are needed to define the relationship between reduced interval of wean to onset estrus and enhanced fertility in lactating sows.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.329-339
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• 2009

Cortisol is present in high concentration in the ovary and its receptor is expressed in the ovarian cells. Moreover, cortisol is known to have a role in steroid synthesis and cell metabolism in human granulosa and lutein cells. However, little is known of the role of cortisol presenting in high concentration in the follicles after LH surge on the granulosa-lutein cells. Therefore, the this study we evaluated the apoptosis and the production of progesterone $(P_4)$ and estradiol $(E_2)$ in the granulosa-lutein cells that are obtained during oocyte-retrieval after treatment with 5, 50, and $500{\mu}g/m\ell$ cortisol and 1 IU/$m\ell$ FSH. Results of DNA fragment analysis and TUNEL assay demonstrated that DNA fragmentation and the rate of apoptotic cells were increased in a dose-dependent manner showing a significant increase in 50 and $500{\mu}g/m\ell$ cortisol treated cells. We found, however, that FSH did not suppress the apoptosis of the cells induced by cortisol. In the results of chemiluminescence assay for $P_4$ and $E_2$, $P_4$ production was decreased by cortisol treatment, whereas $E_2$ was not changed. We also demonstrated that FSH did not inhibit the suppressive effect of GnRH on $P_4$ production as the result of apoptosis. The present study suggests that cortisol of high concentration could cause the apoptosis of human granulosa-lutein cells by suppressing the production of $P_4$. However, we need more studies to elucidate the mechanism by which cortisol induces apoptosis in human granulosa-lutein cells in view of the fact that our results are inconsistent with previous reported data.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.349-359
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• 2010

Objective: This study was performed to compare the clinical outcome of elective single embryo transfer (eSET) performed at the cleavage stage to that of elective double embryo transfer (eDET). Methods: Of the women less than 36 years old who visited Daegu Maria from January 2008 to April 2009, the only women (n=330) with more than 8 mm of endometrial thickness and at least one good quality embryo, who were treated with GnRH agonist long protocol, were included in this study. After information about complications that can arise by multiple embryo transfer, either eSET or eDET was conducted by their request (167 and 163, respectively).Results: The implantation rate of eSET group was significantly higher than that of eDET group (53.9% vs. 40.2%, p<0.01). The twin pregnancy rate of eSET group was significantly lower than that of eDET group (1.1% vs. 32.3%, p<0.001). However, there were no significant differences between two groups in the clinical pregnancy (53.3% vs. 60.7%, p=0.172), ongoing pregnancy (47.3% vs. 54.6%, p=0.185) and live birth rates (44.9% vs. 50.9%, p=0.275). The number of the surplus embryos which developed to the blastocyst stage and cryopreserved at that stage was significantly higher in eSET group than that of eDET group ($3.2{\pm}2.6$ vs. $2.1{\pm}2.4$, p<0.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that eSET should reduce significantly the multiple baby pregnancy without decreasing the whole pregnancy rate in women with less than 36 years old.