• 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.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
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• v.7 no.7
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• pp.867-872
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• 2006

Fuel cells are devices that convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy. Owing to the high efficiency of the fuel cells, a large number of research work have been done during these years. Among many kinds of the fuel cells, a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is such kind of thing which works under low temperature. Because of the specialty, it stimulated intense global R&D competition. Most of the major world automakers are racing to develop polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell passenger vehicles. Unfortunately, there are still many problems to be solved in order to make them into the commercial use, such as the thermal and water management in working process of PEMFCs. To solve the difficulites facing the researcher, the analysis of the inner mechanism of PEMFC should be implemented as much as possible and mathematical modeling is an important tool for the research of the fuel cell especially with the combination of experiment. By regarding some of the assumptions and simplifications, using the finite element technique, a two-dimensional electrochemical mode is presented in this paper for the further comparison with experimental data. Based on the principals of the problem, the equations of electronic charge conservation equation, gas-phase continuity equation, and mass balance equation are used in calculating. Finally, modeling results indicate some of the phenomenon in a unit cell, and the relationships between potential and current density.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.119-125
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• 2017

Objective: In vitro culture of preimplantation embryos is improved by grouping embryos together in a drop of media. Individually cultured embryos are deprived of paracrine factors; with this in mind, we investigated whether the addition of a single embryo-secreted factor, interleukin-6 (IL-6), could improve the development of individually cultured embryos. Methods: Mouse embryos were cultured individually in $2{\mu}L$ of G1/G2 media in 5% oxygen and supplemented with a range of doses of recombinant mouse or human IL-6. Results: Mouse IL-6 increased hatching at doses of 0.01 and 10 ng/mL compared to the control (93% and 93% vs. 78%, p< 0.05) and increased the total number of cells at a dose of 0.1 ng/mL compared to the control ($101.95{\pm}3.36$ vs. $91.31{\pm}3.33$, p< 0.05). In contrast, the highest dose of 100 ng/mL reduced the total number of cells ($79.86{\pm}3.29$, p< 0.05). Supplementation with human IL-6 had a different effect, with no change in hatching or total cell numbers, but an increase in the percentage of inner cell mass per embryo at doses of 0.1, 1, and 100 ng/mL compared to the control ($22.9%{\pm}1.1%$, $23.3%{\pm}1.1%$, and $23.1%{\pm}1.1%$ vs. $19.5%{\pm}1.0%$, p< 0.05). Conclusion: These data show that IL-6 improved mouse embryo development when cultured individually in complex media; however, an excess of IL-6 may be detrimental. Additionally, these data indicate that there is some cross-species benefit of human IL-6 for mouse embryos, but possibly through a different mechanism than for mouse IL-6.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.63-74
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• 1995

The development of pale chub oocyte from the immature oogonium to mature oocyte was investigated by light and electron microscope. The cytoplasm of pale chub oogonia was acidic and many vesicles were located at inner side of nuclear membrane. In primary oocytes, yolk vesicles were distributed in cytoplasm. Also, fibrous materials and protuberances were distributed on the surface of zona radiata. The nucleus of secondary oocyte was enlarged and yolk vesicles in cytoplasm migrated to zona radiata. In early egg, yolk mass are formed and yolk vesicles were located at inner side of zona radiata. Three-layered zona radiata was about $3{\mu}m$ in thickness. The three layers were an outer fibrous material layer, a middle nurse cell layer in which microvilli of early egg cytoplasm contact with processes of nurse cells, and an inner layer with high electron density. In mature egg, euchromatin and a germinal vesicle were developed, mitochondria, free ribosomes, and yolk mass were distributed in cytoplasm. But, yolk vesicles were disappeared. Specially, zona radiata of matured eggs were better thin than the one of immature eggs In conclusion, it is summerized that the oogenesis of pale chub were the increase of cell size, the formation and accumulation of yolk, the decrease in nucleat electron density, changes of zona radiata, and the development of microvilli.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 1983

These experiments were carried out to obtain basic information necessary of the success of in vitro culture of blastomeres separated from mouse embryo. Total 446 single blastomeres separated from 2-, 4- and 8-cell mouse embryos by protease treatment (0.5% in Whittingham's medium), were cultured under the gas phase of 5% CO2 in air at 37$^{\circ}C$. whittingham's medium was used for culture of blastomeres. The results obtained in these experiments were summerized as follows: 1. Of total 446 blastomeres cultured, 127(87.0%), 134(73.2%) and 77(65.8%) blastomeres separated repectively from 2-, 4- and 8-cell embryos were developed to morula or blastular stages. 2. The numbers of blastomeres, being separated from 2-. 4- and 8-cell embryos and developing to blastocysts containing inner cell mass, were 97(76.4%), 86(64.2%) and 33(42.9%) respectively. 3. After in vitro culture of the blastomeres, the incidence of trophoblastic vesicles increased with the development of the cell stage of embryo. In case of blastomeres separated from 8-cell embryos, 50.6% of blastomeres that developed to blastular stage was trophoblastic vesicles.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.86-95
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• 1995

This study was accomplished to investigate the ultrastructure of mucous glands in dorsal skin of frog (Rana catesbeiana) by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The dorsal skin of Rana catesbeiana is composed of epidermis and dermis. The cutaneous mucous glands consist of inner glandular epithelial cells and outer myoepithelial cells. Glandular epithelial cells are divided into four types by the microscopic ultrastructure; ER-rich cell, round secretory granule-containing cell, foam-like granule mass-containing cell, mitochondria-rich cell. Myoepithelial cell has a long elliptical nucleus and filled with fibrous materials in the cytoplasm. As a result of scanning microscopic observation, the surface of dorsal skin is covered with cutaneous protrusions. The opening sites of the mucous glands are irregularly distributed in dorsal skin.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2017

Despite the fact that porcine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are a practical study tool, in vitro long-term maintenance of these cells is difficult in a two-dimensional (2D) microenvironment using cellular niche or extracellular matrix proteins. However, a three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment, similar to that enclosing the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, may improve in vitro maintenance of self-renewal. Accordingly, as a first step toward constructing a 3D microenvironment optimized to maintain porcine ESC self-renewal, we investigated different culture dimensions for porcine ICM-derived cells to enhance the maintenance of self-renewal. Porcine ICM-derived cells were cultured in agarose-based 3D hydrogel with self-renewal-friendly mechanics and in 2D culture plates with or without feeder cells. Subsequently, the effects of the 3D microenvironment on maintenance of self-renewal were identified by analyzing colony formation and morphology, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity, and transcriptional and translational regulation of self-renewal-related genes. The 3D microenvironment using a 1.5% (w/v) agarose-based 3D hydrogel resulted in significantly more colonies with stereoscopic morphology, significantly improved AP activity, and increased protein expression of self-renewal-related genes compared to those in the 2D microenvironment. These results demonstrate that self-renewal of porcine ICM-derived cells can be maintained more effectively in a 3D microenvironment than in a 2D microenvironment. These results will help develop novel culture systems for ICM-derived cells derived from diverse species, which will contribute to stimulating basic and applicable studies related to ESCs.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.193-198
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• 2007

The present study was examined the expression patterns of cdx2 gone, n lineage marker, in the mouse and bovine developmental stage embryos and whether one blastomere of two- and/or four-cell bovine embryos develop to specific lineage (ICM or TE) of blastocyst by injection of Texas red conjugated dextran as a lineage tracer. It was also investigated the allocation of ICM and n cells in bovine blastocysts derived from one blastomere of two-and/or four-cell stage embryos. Firstly, it was observed that expression of cdx2 appeared symmetric and asymmetric distribution at the two-cell stage mouse embryos. from four-cell to morula stage mouse embryos, the expression of cdx2 gene was observed in almost all blastomeres. In case of bovine embryos, localization of cdx2 was similar to pattern of mouse embryos. The Dextran-labeled blastomere of two- and/or four-cell embryos contributed to both ICM and TE cells in bovine blastocysts. And also, it was confirmed that a single blastomere derived from two-cell stage bovine embryos could develop to the normal blastocyst with both ICM and TE cells. These results show that two-and/or four-cell stage is not the specific stage to determine the cell rate for ICM and TE, and which is not correlated with the expression of cdx2 gene.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was an improvement of efficiency and quality in the production of Korean Native Cow embryos. We investigated effects of concentration of ammonia in in vitro maturation (IVM) medium. In addition, we examined effects of addition or exchange of IVM medium on subsequent development and the cell numbers of blastocysts. The concentrations of ammonia in IVM medium was significantly increased by the increasement of IVM duration (p<0.05). The development rates to the 2 cell-, 8 cell- and blastocyst-stage embryos with the addition of IVM medium were similar among treatment groups. The number of inner cell mass (ICM) cells and the total cell number (TCN) of blastocysts were not differ among treatment groups, whereas the trophectoderm (TE) cell number was significantly lower in the group of 4.5 h addition. The ICM/TCN ratio was significantly higher in the group of 4.5 h addition than in the group of control and 9 h addition. The development rate to the 2-cell embryo with the exchange of IVM medium was significantly higher in the group of 4.5 h exchange and 9 h exchange than in control. The development rate to the blastocyst stage was the highest in the group of 9 h exchange. The number of ICM and ICM/TCN ratio were significantly higher in the group of 9 h exchange than the other groups. The numbers of TE and TCN was similar among treatment groups.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1997.11a
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• pp.77-78
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• 1997