• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 한국동물번식학회 2001년도 춘계학술발표대회
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• pp.18-18
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• 2001

Despite of importance of integrated events of nucleus and microtubule remodeling in nuclear transferred embryos with somatic cells, little information is available on this subject. In this study we configured chromatin and microtubule organization following somatic cell nuclear transfer in pre- and non-activated bovine oocytes in order to clearify nuclear remodeling process and to demonstrate centrosome inheritance during nuclear transfer. The cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected from slaughterhouse and were matured in vitro for 20 h in TCM 199 supplemented hormone. Matured bovine oocytes were enucleated by aspirating the frist polar body and metaphase chromatin using a beveled pipette. Bovine fibroblast cells were fused into enucleated oocyte by electrical stimulation. Reconstructed oocytes were activated with ionomycine and 6-dimethylaminopurin, and then cultured in CRlaa medium. The organization of nuclear and microtubules were observed using laser-scanning confocal microscopy. At 1 hour after fusion, microtubule aster was seen near the transferred nucleus in most oocytes regardless activation condition. While most of fibroblast nuclei remodeled to premature chromosome condensation (PCC) and to the two masses of chromosome in non-activated oocytes, a few number of fibloblasts went to PCC and multiple pronuclear like structures in activated oocytes. Microtubular spindle was seen around condensed chromosome. Gamma-tubulin was detected in the vicinity of condensed chromosome, suggesting this is a transient spindle. The spindle seperated nucleus into two masses of chromatin which developed to the pronuclear like structures. Two pronuclear like structures were than apposed by microtubular aster and formed one syngamy like nuclear structure at 15 h following nuclear transfer. At 17 to 18 h after fusion, two centrosomes were seen near the nucleus, which nucleates micrtubules for two cell cleavage. While 31% of reconstructed oocytes in non-activated condition developed to morulae and blastocysts, a few reconstructed oocytes in pre-activated condition developed to the blastocyst. These results suggested introduction of foreign centrosome during nuclear transfer, which appeared to give an important role for somatic cell nuclear reprogramming.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제49권2호
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• pp.149-158
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• 2022

Objective: Optimizing culture media for the incubation of immature oocytes is a vital strategy to increase the oocyte maturation rate during in vitro maturation (IVM) programs. This study evaluated the IVM and fertilization rates of human germinal vesicle (GV) and metaphase I (MI) oocytes using two different maturation media (commercial and homemade) with or without growth differentiation factor 9-β (GDF9-β). supplementation. Methods: Immature oocytes from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were collected and assigned to one of two IVM culture media (commercial or homemade; cleavage-stage base). After maturation, MII oocytes were examined under an inverted microscope for the presence of the polar body, zona pellucida (ZP) birefringence, and meiotic spindle (MS) visualization after maturation in four conditions (commercial or homemade medium, with or without GDF9-β. ICSI was done for matured oocytes, and fertilization was confirmed by the visualization of two distinct pronuclei and two polar bodies. Results: No significant differences were found between the two culture media in terms of the time and rate of oocyte maturation or the rate of fertilization (p>0.05). Growth factor supplementation increased the 24-hour maturation rate for both GV and MI oocytes only in homemade medium. The maturation rate after 24 hours was higher for MI oocytes (p<0.05). Similar results were observed for MS visualization and ZP structure in both types of media (p>0.05). Conclusion: Higher rates of oocyte maturation and fertilization were observed after application of homemade medium supplemented with GDF9-β. Therefore, this combination may be recommended as an alternative for clinical IVM programs.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.10.1-10.10
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• 2023

Background: The collection of ovaries from slaughterhouses is an important source of oocytes for in vitro embryo production. On the other hand, the physiological stage of slaughtered females varies and influences embryo production. Objectives: The study examined the in vitro efficiency of embryos and demi-embryos from young, non-pregnant adult, and pregnant adult ewes from a local slaughterhouse. Methods: One thousand three hundred ovaries were collected from August to October 2020. The recovered oocytes were matured, fertilized, and cultured at 5% CO2, 38.5℃, and 100% humidity. Embryo bisection was performed in 96 blastocysts (n = 32 per treatment). The demiembryo pairs were incubated for their reconstitution for 12 h. SAS was used for data analysis. Results: The number of oocytes collected from the experimental group of non-pregnant adult ewes was higher (p ≤ 0.007) than those collected from the group of pregnant adult ewes (2.67 ± 0.19 vs. 2.18 ± 0.15 oocytes/group, respectively). The blastocyst rate was higher (p ≤ 0.0001) in the non-pregnant adult group (36.39%) than in the young (17.96%). The ratio of demi-embryos that recovered the blastocoelic cavity was higher (p < 0.05) in the young group (81.25%) than in the pregnant adult group (59.38%). The diameter of the demi-embryos was higher (p < 0.05) in the non-pregnant adult group (186.54 ± 8.70 ㎛) than those in the young and pregnant adult groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, the in vitro embryo production efficiency was highest when using oocytes from non-pregnant adult ewes under the conditions of this study.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.47-54
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• 1994

The objective of this study was to produce Korean native calves following transfer of in vitro matured, fertilized and cultured embryos into Holstein cows. The ovaries of Korean native cows or heifers were obtained from an abattoir and kept on 25 to 28$^{\circ}C$ and transported to laboratory within 2 hrs. The oocytes were matured in vitro (IVM) for 24 hrs in TCM-199 supplemented with 35$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml FSH, 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml LH, 1$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml estradiol-17$\beta$ and granulosa cells at 39$^{\circ}C$ under 5% CO2 in air. They were fertilized in vitro (IVF) by epididymal spermatozoa treated with heparin for 24 hrs., and then the zygotes were co-cultured in vitro (IVC) with bovine oviductal epithelial cells for 7 to 9 days. Late morulae and blastocysts produced in vitro were nonsurgically transferred to recipient cows by unilaterial. Recipients were monitored for estrus and for pegnancy by rectal plapation in 60 days after embryo transfer. One of them was pregnant to term and produced a female weighing 42.5kg at birth.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.249-253
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• 2008

Interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) is a valuable tool for studying the interactions between an oocyte and somatic nucleus. The object of this study was to investigate the developmental competence of in vitro-matured porcine oocytes after transfer of the somatic cell nuclei of 2 different species (goat and rabbit). Porcine cumulus oocytes were obtained from the follicles of ovaries and matured in TCM-199. The reconstructed embryos were electrically fused with 2 DC pulses of 1.1kV/cm for $30{\mu}s$ 0.3M mannitol medium. The activated cloned embryos were cultured in porcine zygote medium-3 (PZM-3), mSOF or RDH medium for 7 days. The blastocyst formation rate of the embryos reconstructed from goat or rabbit fetal fibroblasts was significantly lower than that of the embryos reconstructed from porcine fetal fibroblast cells. However, a significantly higher number of embryos reconstructed from goat or rabbit fetal fibroblasts cultured in mSOF or RDH, respectively, developed to the morular stage than those cultured in PZM-3. These results suggest that goat and bovine fetal fibroblasts were less efficacious than porcine-porcine cloned embryos and that culture condition could be an important factor in iSCNT. The lower developmental potential of goat-porcine and porcine-bovine cloned embryos may be due to incompatibility between the porcine oocyte cytoplasm and goat and bovine somatic nuclei.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.287-293
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• 2000

This study was undertaken to access the effects of collection method, room temperature at oocyte recovery and culture media on the oocyte quality, fertilization and cleavage rates of in vitro matured and fertilized oocytes of Korean native goats. Ovaries obtained from a slaughterhouse were transported to the laboratory and were divided into 2 groups. One group of ovaries was maintained at 30 to 35$^{\circ}C$ of the room temperature and another group was remained at 20 to $25^{\circ}C$ during oocyte recovery. The oocytes were recovered by follicle aspiration, slicing and aspiration+slicing methods from 3 groups of follicles according to size; <2 mm, 2 to 6 mm and >6 mm. The matured oocytes were inseminated with buck epididymal spermatozoa at a concentration of 3~3.5$\times$10$^{6}$ m1 and fertilization was identified when 2 pronuclei were present in the cytoplasm. Although the recovery rate per ovary obtained by the combination of follicle aspiration + slicing(19.6$\pm$2.2) method was higher than aspiration(11.7$\pm$1.1) and slicing(14.8$\pm$1.8) collection, optimal recovery according to oocyte grades resulted form ovarian slicing compared to aspiration or combined methods(P<0.05). However, no significant differences were found in the mean number(2.5$\pm$1.8; 3.3$\pm$3.3; 2.9$\pm$2.4) and the proportion of favorable oocytes(Grades I, II and III) recovered(31.6%, 36.0%, 36.4%,) according to follicle size(<2 mm; 2 to 6 mm; >6 mm). Fertilization rate was 60.0%, 67.7%, 70.6% and 56.4% and the proportion of embryos/zygotes was 11.1%, 7.1%, 5.0% and 2.8% in 20~$25^{\circ}C$/BO, 30~35$^{\circ}C$/BO, 20~$25^{\circ}C$/TALP and 30~35$^{\circ}C$ /groups, respectively.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 한국동물번식학회 2004년도 춘계학술발표대회
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• pp.259-259
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• 2004

Porcine sperm extract (PSE) supporting Ca/sup 2+/ osillation was microinjected into the in vitro matured porcine oocytes. In the presence of the capacitative Ca/sup 2+/ entry mechanism which can activate MII oocytes, preparation methods of sperm extraction were studied by many researchers. Such as freeze-thaw cycle, homogenation, sonication of boar sperm was used for certification of their activity of calcium signals. (omitted)

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.46-49
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the number of follicles, oocyte recovery rate and oocyte competence after in vitro maturation according to the size of follicle. And equine oocyte competence after in vitro maturation was investigated in terms of the diameter of follicle with criteria of maturation: nuclear stage after Hoechst staining. The average number of follicles per ovary with middle size (11-20 mm, 2.68) was higher than those of small (5-10 mm, 0.74) and large size follicle (> 21 mm, 1.63), therefore medium follicle (53.1%) had higher proportion than other size of follicles. The average numbers of follicle per ovary was 5.05. The rate of oocyte recovery in small (54.5%) and middle follicle (50%) was higher than that in large follicle (40.9%). After culture for 48 h in Medium 199, 50%, 45.5%, and 44.4% of oocytes from the follicles with diameters of 5-10, 11-20, > 21 mm, respectively reached the metaphase II stage. This is the first report showing number of follicle, oocyte recovery rate according to follicular size, and in vitro oocyte maturation in Jeju mare in Korea. To fulfill in vitro equine embryo production, further studies such as the seasonal effect, in vitro fertilization etc is need.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.215-223
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• 2003

This study was to investigate the effects of fertilization time and culture medium of pig oocytes matured in-vitro by liquid boar sperm. The sperm rich fraction (30∼60 ml) was slowly cooled to room temperature (20∼23$^{\circ}C$) by 2 h after collection. Semen was transferred into 15 ml tubes, centrifuged at room temperature for 10 min 800 ${\times}$ g, and the supernatant solution was poured off. The concentrated sperm was resuspended with 5 ml of the LEN diluent to provide 1.0${\times}$10$^{9}$ sperm/ml at room temperature. The resuspended semen was cooled in a refrigerator to 4$^{\circ}C$. The medium used for oocyte maturation was TCM-199 supplemented with 26.19 mM sodium bicarbonate, 0.9 mM sodium pyruvate, 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml insulin, 2 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml vitamin B$_{12}$ , 25 mM HEPES, 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml bovine apotransferrin, 150 $\mu$M cysteamine, 10 IU/ml PMSG, 10 IU/ml hCG, 10 ng/ml EGF, 0.4% BSA, 75 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml sodium penicillin G, 50 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml streptomycin sulfate and 10% pFF. After about 22 h of culture, oocytes were cultured without cysteamine and hormones for 22 h at 38.5$^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ in air. Oocytes were inseminated with liquid boar sperm stored at 4$^{\circ}C$ for 2 days after collection. Oocytes were coincubated for 1, 3, 6 and 9 h in 500 ${mu}ell$ mTBM fertilization media with 1.0${\times}$10$^{6}$ sperm/ml concentration, respectively. Thereafter, oocytes were transferred into 500 ${mu}ell$ NCSU-23, HEPES buffered NCSU-23, PZM-3 and PZM-4 culture media, respectively, for further culture of 6, 48 and 144 h. The rates of sperm penetration and male pronuclear formation were higher in the fertilization times for 6 and 9 h than in those for 1 and 3 h. The rates of cleaved oocytes were higher in the fertilization times for 6 and 9 h (85.0 and 84.6%) than in those for 1 and 3 h (61.1 and 76.8%). The percentage of blastocyst formation from the cleaved oocytes was highest in the fertilization time for 6 h (33.6%) than in that for 1, 3 and 9 h (11.4, 23.0 and 29.6%). Mean cell numbers per blastocyst were 32.9, 27.6, 26.3 and 24.4 in the fertilization times for 6, 9, 3 and 1 h, respectively. The rate of blastocyst from the cleaved oocytes and the number of cells per blastocyst were higher in HEPES buffered NCSU-23 culture medium than in NCSU-23, PZM-3 and PZM-4 culture media. In conclusion, we found out that liquid boar sperm stored at 4$^{\circ}C$ could be used for in-vitro fertilization of pig oocytes matured in-vitro. Also, we recommend the coincubation time of 6 h in 500 ${mu}ell$ TBM fertilization medium with 1${\times}$10$^{6}$ sperm/ml concentration and the HEPES buffered NCSU-23 culture medium for in-vitro fertilization of pig oocytes matured in-vitro.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.207-216
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• 1998

Certain types of somatic cells, as well as follicular cumulus cells associating with mammalian oocytes, are known to produce beneficial effects on in vitro fertilization and pre implantation development of mammalian eggs when they are present in oocyte culture medium. To investigate the nature of the effects of somatic cells, the resistance of mouse oocytes against chymotrypsin treatment was examined after culture within various cell conditioned media. When mouse oocytes matured for 17-18 hr in the presence of cumulus cells were treated with 1 % chymotrypsin, half of them remained still alive even after 240 min $(t_{50}>240.0)$. In contrast half of mouse oocytes cultured without cumulus cells underwent degeneration within 65.0 min $(t_{50}=65.0{\pm}13.2min)$ of the same treatment. To see if the effects were duc to the secretory products of cumulus cells, mouse cumulus cells were cultured for 20 hr in medium containing 0.4% BSA and the supernatant of culture medium (conditioned medium) was taken. After maturation in the cumulus cell conditioned medium, mouse oocytes exhibited $t_{50}=190.0{\pm}10.8$ min upon chymotrypsin treatment whereas half of oocytes cultured without conditioned medium degenerated within 25.5 min. Human granulosa cell conditioned medium gave similar effects such that oocytes matured in conditioned medium exhibited $t_{50}=183.3{\pm}19.1$ min while $t_50$ of control group oocytes was $60.0{\pm}6.8$ min, Oocytes matured in vero cell conditioned medium exhibited $t_{50}=196.7{\pm}8.8$ min. On the other hand, amniotic cell conditioned medium resulted in the chymotrypsin resistance of $t_{50}=80.0{\pm}8.4$ min which was not statistically different from the control value of $t_{50}=48.0{\pm}13.2$ min. Based upon these results, it is suggested that certain somatic cell types including cumulus cells might change the biochemical properties of mouse oocyte membrane during meiotic maturation as revealed by the enhanced resistance against chymotrypsin treatment. Such effects of somatic cells appear to be mediated via the secretory products rather than direct communication between somatic cells and oocytes.