• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 1990

The purpose of this study is to improve fertilization rate in IVF-ET program of patients with male infertility used micromanipulation technique, partial zona dissection (PZD) or micro-insemination by sperm transfer (MIST). The results were as follows 1. The fertilization rate of non-micromanipulated oocytes and micromanipulated (PZD) oocytes were 12.5% (n=2) and 42.2% (n=19), respectively, and showed significant differences between two groups (p<0.05). 2. The fertilization rate of micromanipulated (MIST) oocytes was 30% (n=27). 3. The damage rate of Group 1 (PZD) and Group 2 (MIST) were 15.7% (3/19) and 29.6% (8/27), respectively. 4. One pregnancy resulted following replacement of micromanipulated (MIST) embryos in 4 patients.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.287-296
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• 2011

Mammalian fertilization is a complex cascade process consisting of sperm migration through the female reproductive tract, physiological changes to sperm such as sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, and sperm-egg interaction in the oviduct in vivo. On the other hand, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process by which egg cells are fertilized by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF has been used for a variety of purposes in reproductive biotechnology for human and animals. The discovery of sperm capacitation in 1951 promoted the development of IVF technology. In the initial stage of IVF, sperm capacitation in preincubation medium was shown to be essential to fuse with eggs. Besides, sperms should detour some of the in vivo regulations for IVF. This review introduces a general mammalian fertilization process, including sperm capacitation, removal of cumulus matrix, acrosome reaction, and sperm-egg fusion and focuses on the roles of key biochemical molecules, signal mechanisms, and genes involved during IVF and novel results of sperm-oocyte interaction elucidated in various gene-knockout mice models.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.245-249
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• 1998

White blood cells (WBCs) are present in most human ejaculates, but abnormally high concentration of seminal leukocytes may reflect an underlying pathological condition. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined leukocytospermia as status of more than $10^6$ WBC/mL of semen. The purpose of this study was firstly, to compare the outcomes between conventional IVF and ICSI in leukocytospermia, and secondly, to investigate whether ICSI may be an alternative treatment for patients with leukocytospermia. Total 121 cycles of conventional IVF and ICSI candidates underwent IVF cycles at PL Infertility Clinic. Semen Parameters including concentration, motility, morphology of spermatozoa and concentration of leukocytes were assessed from the raw ejaculates. There was no difference in sperm concentration, motility and morphology. The rates of fertilization and good embryo development from ICSI were significantly higher than those from conventional IVF in leukocytospermia (63.9% & 48.6%, respectively for ICSI group and 33.4% & 24.1%, respectively for IVF group, p<0.001). The pregnancy rate after ICSI was also higher than that from conventional IVF (34.3% vs 21.6%, p<0.05). These results indicate that the presence of seminal leukocytes ($>1\times10^6$ WBC/mL of semen) is adversely related with fertilization, embryo development and pregnancy rate. Therefore the measurement of seminal leukocytes in routine semen analysis appears to be of prognostic value with regard to male fertilizing potential. In conclusion, it is suggested that ICSI is an alternative choice of treatment for patients with leukocytospermia.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.02a
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• pp.183-191
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• 2000

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.207-212
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• 2001

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.02a
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• pp.137-143
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• 2000

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.02a
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• pp.153-164
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• 2000

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.02a
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• pp.165-171
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• 2000

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.123-130
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• 1995

Many types of medication regimens have been used for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for assisted reproductive technique(ART). Questions are now being raised regarding how to lower the escalating costs of assisted reproduction and decrease the extent of patient discomfort and disruption of life style without sacrificing success rates. In this investigation, from January 1994 through August 1994 patients presenting to the Chung-Ang university hospital, infertility clinic were offered the option of the clomiphene citrate (CC)/single Human Menopausal Gonadotropin(HMG) combination and conventional GnRH-agonist combination method. 60 patients (78 cycles) were given CC/single HMG combination as a study group, and 78 patients (102 cycles) were given conventional GnRH-a combined ultrashort protocol as a control group for IVF-ET program and the resulting number of oocyte retrieved, embryo produced, and pregnancy initiated were compared. There were no differences between the two groups in mean age, serum $E_2$, LH and FSH level on menstrual cycle day 2. HMG requirement was 2 ampules in study group and $24.2{\pm}6.8$ ampules in control group. On the day of HCG injection, serum LH and FSH levels were not significantly different, but serum $E_2$, was significantly higher in control group(p<0.001). There was relatively well endometrial quality in control group but not significant compare to study group. In control group, numbers of retrieved oocyte and transferred embryo were significantly more than study group(p<0.001). Fertilization rate was not significantly different in the two groups and pregnancy rates were 20.2% in study group 28.4% in control group(p<0.001). CC/single HMG protocol for IVF-ET is less expensive than GnRH-a combined ultrashort protocol and minimizes patients discomfort. In addition, CC/single HMG protocol produces acceptable pregnancy rate and represents an attractive alternative to select patients undergoing IVF-ET.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 1996

This study was performed to investigate the effect of human follicular fluid (HFF) on development of mouse embryos, for evaluating the suitability of HFF as a substitutive material of human fetal cord serum in ART program. The various concentrations of HFF were added into the culture medium and the effects of HFF concentrations were examined to identify the optimal concentration of HFF for embryo development. The potency of HFF in improving embryo development was compared to that of other protein supplement. Collected HFFs were classified with the maturity of the containing oocytes; mature, immature, atretic, and then the effects of the classified HFFs on embryo development were examined. Also, HFF was separated into the low (<30,000 Da) and high (>30,000 Da) molecular weight fractions and the effects of the fractions on embryo development were investigated. The highest development rate was found in culture medium supplemented with 20% HFF, bnt this rate was reversely reduced at the concentrations of HFF higher than 20%. The development rates to the blastocyst, hatching blastocyst, attachment and outgrowth cultured in mature HFF was significantly higher than those in immature and atretic HFF, and mean cell number in blastocyst was higher in mature HFF than in immature and atretic HFF. The development rates of mouse embryos according to protein sources were significantly higher in HFF than in fetal cord serum (FCS), maternal serum (MS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), and mean cell number in blastocyst cultured in HFF was higher than that in FCS, MS and BSA. The development rates of embryo and mean cell number in blastocyst cultured in high molecular weight fraction of HFF were higher than those in low molecular weight fraction, but the results of high molecular weight fraction were lower than those of whole HFF. Therefore, these results indicated that human mature follicular fluid was useful for improving the development of mouse embryos, which suggests a possibility that HFF also may be used efficiently for improving the culture condition in human ART program as a protein supplement.