• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.193-199
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• 2010

We report here the production of transgenic chickens that can regulate human erythropoietin (hEPO) gene expression. The glycoprotein hormone hEPO is an essential for viability and growth of the erythrocytic progenitors. Retrovirus vector system used in this study has two features including tetracycline-controllable promoter and woodchuck hepatitis virus posttranscriptional regulator element (WPRE). The former is for to reduce the possibility of physiological disturbance due to constitutional and unregulated expression of hEPO gene in the transgenic chicken. The latter is for maximum expression of the foreign gene when we turn-on the gene expression. A replication-defective Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMLV)-based vectors packaged with vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein (VSV-G) was injected beneath the blastoderm of non-incubated chicken embryos (stage X). Out of 325 injected eggs, 28 chicks hatched after 21 days of incubation and 16 hatched chicks were found to express the hEPO gene delivered by the vector. The biological activity of the recombinant hEPO in transgenic chicken serum was comparable to its commercially available counterpart. The recombinant hEPO in transgenic chicken serum had N- and O-linked carbohydrate simillar to that produced from in vitro cultured cells transformed with hEPO gene.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.215-219
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• 2011

Acyl-CoA synthetase 4(ACSL4) is an arachidonate-preferring enzyme abundant in steroidogenic tissues and postulated to modulate eicosanoid production. The human and mouse ACSL4 gene are mapped on chromosome X. The female mice heterozygous for ACSL4 deficiency became pregnant less frequent1y and produced small litters, with 40% of embryos surviving gestation. In this study, we examined the regulation of ACS4 by estradiol-$17{\beta}$ and progesterone (P4) in the human endometrial cancer cell line HTB-1B. ACSL4 mRNA was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Also, expression of ACSL4 gene was up-regulated in a time-dependent manner in HTB-1B cells. However, combined treatment with progesterone and estradiol-$17{\beta}$ modestly decreased the levels of ACS4L mRNA as compared with the estradiol-$17{\beta}$ and progesterone respectively. Overall, these results suggest that the ACSL4 gene is regulated by progesterone and estradiol-$17{\beta}$ in the HTB-1B cells.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2003

본 연구는 사람의 시험관아기 프로그램에서 수정 후 1일째의 전핵 등급이 체외 수정란의 발달에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 정상적인 시험관 아기 시술을 시행한 실례 환자를 대상으로 과배란을 유기하여 배란 직전의 난자를 채취하여 정자를 주입한 다음 체외 수정을 유도하였다. 수정 유도 18시간 후 전핵과 핵인의 형태에 따라 전핵의 등급을 1 및 2등급으로 나누어 각각 3일 동안 체외 배양을 실시하여, 체외 수정란의 형태에 따라 1, 2 및 3등급으로 분류하였든 바, 전핵의 등급에 따라 각각 1등급 체외수정란의 발달율은 1등급 전핵란에서는 83.5%로서 2등급 전핵란의 5.5%보다 유의적으로 (P<0.05) 높았다. 1등급 및 2등급 전핵란에서 수정 후 3일째에 5-세포기 이상의 단계로 발달하는 경우는 각각 85.1% 및 24.5%를 나타내었고, 평균 할구수는 7.4$\pm$2.1 및 4.1$\pm$3.5개를 나타내어 발달 능력에서 1등급 전핵란이 2등급 전핵란보다 유의적으로 (P<0.05) 높게 나타났다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.186-192
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• 2011

Objective: Since IVF program was first established, various types of media and culture systems have been developed either in-house or commercially. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of in-house Maria Research Center (MRC) media to that of commercially available Sydney IVF media in human day 3 embryo transfer cycles. Methods: Three hundred sixty nine couples were included in this prospective, randomized, and comparative study. All couples undergoing IVF treatment at the Maria Fertility Hospital were randomly assigned to either Sydney IVF (n=178) or MRC (n=191) media. Results: No difference was observed between the MRC media and Sydney IVF media groups with respect to fertilization rate (74.4% vs. 75.5%). The clinical pregnancy and implantation rates of MRC media (47.1% and 20.0%, respectively) were also similar to those of Sydney IVF media (44.4% and 19.4%, respectively). However, the proportion of embryos with good quality on day 3 was significantly higher in the MRC media group than the Sydney IVF media group (50.2% vs. 43.2%) ($p$ <0.05). Conclusion: MRC media were as effective as Sydney IVF media for sustaining embryo development and pregnancy rates. The present study implies that MRC media can be a suitable alternative to commercially available media for human IVF-ET program.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.277-286
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• 2001

Improvement and possible commercialization of a home-made electroporation apparatus(home-made) were further tried to establish a simple and effective introduction of foreign gene into sperm followed by in vitro fertilization. Expressions of introduced pJJ9 and pNT plasmids were shown in all fertilized eggs with electroporated spermatozoa. In particular, with this gene transfer system all the fry showed a consistently transient expression in the syncytium of the yolk sac. This fact is important since some required, minute quantity of human proteins can be produced from the established transient expression on the yolk sac of all fry derived from in vitro fertilization with electroporated spermatozoa. To explore tissue-specific expression in fish, which we will use a similar system later, we targeted the nerve tissue to see whether tissue-specific promoter is working in fish properly. pNT plasmid containing a nerve cell-specific tubulin promoter gene demonstrated consistently exact targeted expressions among the developing nerve cells in later stages of embryos and hatched fry. Finally, liver-specific genes are now being cloned by using already selected primers for useful human protein gene fusion.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2003

본 연구는 사람의 시험관아기 프로그램에서 체외 수정란의 질을 향상시키는 한 방법으로 난포액으로 처리된 정자를 체외 수정에 사용하여 생산된 체외 수정란의 전핵 등급과 발달 능력을 조사하였다. 정상적인 시험관 아기 시술을 시행한 실례 환자를 대상으로 과배란을 유기하여 배란 직전의 난자를 채취하여, 난포액으로 처리된 정자와 체외 수정시킨 후 사람 체외 수정란의 전핵 등급과 체외발달율을 조사하였다. 체외수정을 위한 정자의 처리 방법으로 synthetic serum substitute (SSS)를 15% 첨가한 modified human total fluid (m-hTF) 혹은 난포액에서 정자를 2시간 동안 swimming-up 처리 후 각각 체외수정에 사용한 결과, 수정율은 75.3 및 82.1%를 나타내어 유의적인 차이는 없었으나, 1등급 전핵란은 각각 48.0 및 65.5%를 나타내어 난포액에서 유의적으로 (P<0.05) 높았고, 배양 후 3일째에 수정란의 등급을 조사한 결과, 1등급 체외수정란은 각각 44.9 및 60.5%를 나타내어 난포액에서 유의적으로 (P<0.05) 높았다. 또한 체외수정란을 배양 후 3일째에 수정란의 발달 단계를 조사 한 결과, 5-세포기 단계 이상을 발달하는 비율은 각각 51.0 및 70.5%를 나타내어 난포액에서 유의적으로 (P<0.05) 높았다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2005

Human embryonic stem (hES) cells, unlike most cells derived from adult or fetal human tissues, represent a potentially unlimited source of various cell types for basic clinical research. To meet the increased demand for characterized hES cell lines, we established and characterized nine new lines obtained from frozen-thawed pronucleus-stage embryos. In addition, we improved the derivation efficiency from inner cell masses (to 47.4%) and optimized culture conditions for undifferentiated hES cells. After these cell lines had been maintained for over a year in vitro, they were characterized comprehensively for expression of markers of undifferentiated hES cells, karyotype, and in vitro/in vivo differentiation capacity. All of the cell lines were pluripotent, and one cell line was trisomic for chromosome 3. Improved culture techniques for hES cells should make them a good source for diverse applications in regenerative medicine, but further investigation is needed of their basic biology.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.183-189
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• 1995

In human IVF-ET, the development and morphology of the embryo have been known to affect implantation and pregnancy rates(PRs). Recently, pregnancy has been reported to related to the embryos with thick zona-pellucida, high levels of fragmentation, poor blastomere development and zona hardening. Although the mechanism of implantation is unclear, it is thought that the hatching process precedes implantation and that the hatching is related to implantation and PRs. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of assisted hatching(AHA) on the improvement of PRs in human IVF-ET. The results were as follows; 1. The PRs of the AHA group (40.8%) was significantly higher than that of control group(27.2%)(P<0.01). 2. According to the age of patients, the PRs of control and AHA groups were 33.9%(20/59), 44,4%(12/27) in <30 yrs, 26.1%(30/115), 38.3%(18/47) in 31-35 yrs, 22.4%(13/58), 41.4%(12/29) in >36 yrs, respectively. 3. According to the factors of infertility in AHA group, unexplained(immunologic factor) (40.0%) and male factors(41.9%) were higher than female(tubal obstruction, endometriosis, adhesion) factor (28.9%). As a result, it is suggested that AHA technique improve the PRs in poor prognosis patients. It is concluded that AHA method can be used to improve the PRs in human lVF-ET.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.253-259
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• 1997

Objective: To investigate effects of cryoprotectant and cryopreservation on the chromosome of the human immature oocytes. Design: Intact cumulus-enclosed immature oocytes were collected from unstimulated ovaries and divided into three groups, such as no treatment as control (group 1), only 1,2-propanediol (PROH)-treated (group 2), and cryopreserved oocytes (group 3). Oocytes in group 1, 2, and survived oocytes after cryopreservation in group 3 were cultured for 48 hours. Setting: Infertility Medical Center at the CHA General Hospital, Seoul, Korea. Patients: Oocytes were obtained from Patients undergoing gynecological surgery. Main Outcome Measures: Maturation rate, abnormality in chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Results: There was no effect of PROH only treatment on the chromosomal abnormalities in group 2 compared to control oocytes (41.4% and 31.8%, respectively). Whereas significantly increased abnormalities in chromosome (77.8%) were found in group 3. Conclusions: Human oocytes matured in vitro after cryopreservation at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage showed increased incidence of chromosomal abnormalities. These abnormalities may impair the capacity for further development of the embryos derived from frozen-thawed oocytes.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.197-206
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• 2003

hFSH (human follicle stimulating hormone) is heterodimer consisting of $\alpha$ and $\beta$ subunits. Since assembly of the both subunits in the cell is often the rate-limiting step in production of functional hormone, single-chain hormones have been engineered by genetically linking two different cDNA fragments with a linker sequence. Using retrovirus vector system, the resulting recombinant hFSH gene was transferred in CHO cells and chicken embryos, and the expression of the gene was investigated. In CHO cells, protein synthesis from the single-chain FSH gene was 17 fold higher than that from the heterodimeric counterpart. In the study of transgenic chickens, ten of the eleven chicks hatched from 62 embryos manupulated with recombinant retrovirus stock was determined to carry transgenic genes. RT-PCR analyses confirmed transcription of the single-chain FSH gene, however, no recombinant FSH was detected from the blood samples.