• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.293-295
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• 2009

Two postmortem male and female reticulated giraffes were examined. The adult male giraffe showed sigmoid flexure of penis similar to most ungulates. Epididymis was well-developed and divided with head, body and tail parts. On the tip of penis, there was a urethral process. At the necropsy of a 20-month-old and nulliparous giraffe, ovaries, oviducts, two uterine horns with a septum and a cervix were distinctively shown. Understanding reproductive organs of giraffes would be beneficial to succeed in artificial breeding on this species especially in the difficult situation of importing hoofed animals.

• 한국독성학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국독성학회 2003년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.181-181
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• 2003

The aims of present study were to compare the effects of in utero exposure of several chemicals which have antiandrogenic characteristics on the development of reproductive organs and to investigate the specific mechanisms related to the abnormalities observed in the male reproductive system.(omitted)

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.265-272
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• 2011

It is well known that adipose tissue or body fat has been proved as a crucial component of brain-peripheral axis which can modulate the activities of reproductive hormonal axis in female mammals including rodents and human. Concerning the male reproduction, however, the role of adipose tissue has not been thoroughly studied. The present study was carried out to elucidate the effect of a high-fat (HF) diet on the reproductive system of postpubertal male rats. The HF diet (45% energy from fat, HF group) was applied to male rats from week 8 after birth for 4 weeks. The blood glucose levels, body and tissue weights were measured. Histological studies were performed to assess the structural alterations in the reproductive tissues. To determine the transcriptional changes of reproductive hormone-related genes in hypothalamus and pituitary, total RNAs were extracted and applied to the semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Body weights (p<0.01) and blood glucose levels (p<0.01) of HF group were significantly higher than those of control animals. Similarly, the weights of epididymis (p<0.05), prostate (p<0.01), seminal vesicle (p<0.01) in HF group were higher than control levels. The weights of testis were not changed. The weights of kidney (p<0.001) and spleen (p<0.01) were significantly higher than control levels while the adrenal and pancreas weights were not changed. There were only slight alterations in the microstructures of accessory sex organs; the shape of luminal epithelial cells in epididymis from HF group were relatively thicker and bigger than those from control animals. In the semi-quantitative RT-PCR studies, the mRNA levels of hypothalamic GnRH (p<0.05) in HF group were significantly higher than those from the control animals. The mRNA levels of kisspeptin in HF group tend to be higher than control levels, the difference was not significant. Unlike the hypothalamic GnRH expression, the mRNA levels of pituitary $LH{\beta}$ and $FSH{\beta}$ were significantly decreased in HF group (p<0.05). The present study indicated that the 4-weeks feeding HF diet during the postpubertal period can alter the hypothalamus-pituitary (H-P) neuroendocrine reproductive system These results suggest that the increased body fat and the altered leptin input might disturb the H-P reproductive hormonal activities in male rats, and the changed activities seem to be responsible for the changes of tissue weights in accessory sex organs.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.237-243
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• 2010

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been shown to interfere with physiological systems, i.e., adversely affecting hormone balance (endocrine system), or disrupting normal function, in the female and male reproductive organs. Although endocrine disruption is a global concern for human health, its impact and significance and the screening strategy for detecting these synthetic or man-made chemicals are not clearly understood in female and male reproductive functions. Thus, in this review, we summarize the interference of environmental EDCs on reproductive development and function, and toxicological mechanism(s) of EDCs in in vitro and in vivo models of male and female reproductive system. In addition, this review highlights the effect of exposure to multiple EDCs on reproductive functions, and brings attention to their toxicological mechanism(s) through estrogen receptors.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.461-467
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• 2013

Nesfatin-1/NUCB2, which is associated with the control of appetite and energy metabolism, was reported for the first time to be expressed in the hypothalamus. However, recent studies have shown that nesfatin-1/NUCB2 was expressed not only in the hypothalamus, but also in various tissues including digestive and reproductive organs. We also demonstrated that nesfatin-1/NUCB2 was expressed in the reproductive organs, pituitary gland, heart, lung, and gastrointestinal tract of the adult mouse. However, little is known about nesfatin-1/NUCB2 expression in fetal and neonatal mice. Therefore, we examined here the distribution of nesfatin-1/NUCB2 in various organs of fetal and neonatal mice and compared them with the distribution in adult mice. As a result of immunohistochemical staining, nesfatin-1/NUCB2 protein was expressed relatively higher in the lung, kidney, heart, and liver compared to other organs in the fetus. Western blot results also showed that nesfatin-1/NUCB2 protein was detected in the lung, kidney, heart, and stomach. Next, we compared the expression levels of nesfatin-1/NUCB2 mRNA in the fetus and neonate with the expression levels in both male and female adult mice. The expression levels in heart, lung, stomach, and kidney were higher compared with other organs in fetal and neonatal mice and in both male and female adult mice. Interestingly, the expression of nesfatin-1/NUCB2 mRNA in the kidney was dramatically increased in male and female adult mice compared to fetal and neonatal mice. These results indicate that nesfatin-1/NUCB2 may regulate the development and physiological function of mouse organs. In the future, we need more study on the function of nesfatin-1/NUCB2, which is highly expressed in the heart, lung, and kidney during mouse development.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.301-309
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• 2014

Nesfatin-1, an anorexic nucleobindin-2 (NUCB2)-derived hypothalamic peptide, controls appetite and energy metabolism. Recent studies show that nesfatin-1/NUCB2 is expressed not only in the brain but also in gastric and adipose tissues. Thus, we investigated the distributions of nesfatin-1/NUCB2 in various tissues of male and female mice by real-time PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining. Real-time PCR analyses showed that NUCB2 mRNA was predominantly expressed in the pituitary and at lower levels in the hypothalamus, spleen, thymus, heart, liver, and muscle of both male and female mice. Expression was much higher in reproductive organs, such as the testis, epididymis, ovary, and uterus, than in the hypothalamus. Western blot analysis of the nesfatin-1 protein level showed similar results to the real-time PCR analyses in both male and female mice. These results suggest that nesfatin-1/NUCB2 have widespread physiological effects in endocrine and non-endocrine organs. In addition, immunohistochemical staining revealed that nesfatin-1 was localized in interstitial cells, including Leydig cells and in the columnar epithelium of the epididymis. Nesfatin-1 was also expressed in theca cells and interstitial cells in the ovary and in epithelial cells of the endometrium and uterine glands in the uterus. These results suggest that nesfatin-1 is a novel potent regulator of steroidogenesis and gonadal function in male and female reproductive organs. Further studies are required to elucidate the functions of nesfatin-1 in various organs of male and female mice.

• 한국독성학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국독성학회 2001년도 International Symposium on Signal transduction in Toxicology
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• pp.164-164
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• 2001

This study investigated expression pattern of PHGPx gene in male rat reproductive organs exposed to 17$\beta$-estradiol. First, in view of quantitative change, the exposure to 17$\beta$-estradiol for 1 week increased PHGPx mRNA level in testis and prostate. PHGPx mRNA level in epididymis decreased weakly as compared to control group.(omitted)

• 한국수정란이식학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국수정란이식학회 2004년도 제4회 발생공학 국제심포지움 및 학술대회
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• pp.42-42
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• 2004

• 생명과학회지
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• 제25권12호
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• pp.1415-1424
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• 2015

본 실험에서는 ICI 182, 780(ICI)을 사춘기의 생쥐에 투여하여 에스트로겐 수용체를 저해시켰을 때 수컷 생식계에 나타나는 변화를 관찰하였다. 더불어 해당 조직학적 변화가 시간이 지남에 따라 자연적으로 회복되는지 여부를 알아보기 위해 150일, 300일동안 회복시키는 실험군을 추가로 설정하여 관찰하였다. 그 결과, 가장 처음 희생한 실험군에서는 ICI의 투여에 따른 형태적 변화가 관찰되었다. 정소에서는 세정관과 생식상피의 위축이 관찰되었다. 더불어 세정관의 단면에서 측정한 세르톨리 세포의 개수가 줄어드는 것이 관찰되었다. 부정소의 initial segment(IS) 부분과 꼬리 부위의 상피세포 높이 또한 변화하였다. IS 부분은 상피세포의 평균 높이가 증가하였고, 꼬리 부위는 상피세포의 평균 높이가 감소하였다. 투여군 수출소관의 경우, 상피세포의 평균 높이가 감소하였고, 내강의 직경이 증가되었다. 투여군 전립샘과 정낭의 경우, 상피세포의 평균 높이가 증가하였다. 정낭의 경우 상피세포의 높이 외에는 특별한 형태적 변화가 나타나지 않았으나, 전립샘의 경우 상피세포의 자유표면 쪽이 반듯한 선을 그리지 않고 흐트러진 형태를 보였다. 앞의 조직학적 변화는 150일간 회복기간을 둔 경우에 투여군이 대조군과 비슷한 수준으로 회복되었다. 150일째 희생시킨 그룹에서 회복되지 않은 조직학적 차이도 있었으나, 이는 300일째 희생시킨 그룹에서는 회복되는 것이 관찰되었다. 이 들 결과를 종합해 보면 ICI 투여는 사춘기 수컷의 생식기관에 조직학적 변화를 유발하였으나, 그 변화는 시간이 지남에 따라 자연스럽게 회복되었다.

• 한국독성학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국독성학회 2005년도 춘계 국제심포지엄 및 학술대회
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• pp.157-157
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• 2005