• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2015

Luteolysis is a cyclical regression of the corpus luteum in many non-primate mammalian species. Prostaglandin $F_2{\alpha}$($PGF_2{\alpha}$) from the uterus and ovary induces functional and structural luteolysis in bovine. The action of $PGF_2{\alpha}$ is mediated by $PGF_2{\alpha}$ receptor located on the luteal steroidogenic and endothelial cell membranes. $PGF_2{\alpha}$ plays an important role in regulating nitric oxide production in endothelial cells of the bovine corpus luteum. Nitric oxide production and nitric oxide synthase activity are stimulated and induced by $PGF_2{\alpha}$ in luteal endothelial cells. Moreover, the reactive oxygen species inhibits progesterone secretion in bovine luteal cells and induces apoptosis. Thus, the interaction between $PGF_2{\alpha}$ and reactive oxygen species provides important aspects in physiology of the corpus luteum forfunctional and structural luteolysis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.506-514
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• 2018

The transcriptional regulation of genes determines the fate of animal cell differentiation and subsequent organ development. With the recent progress in genome-wide technologies, the genomic landscapes of enhancers have been broadly explored in mammalian genomes, which led to the discovery of novel specific subsets of enhancers, termed super-enhancers. Super-enhancers are large clusters of enhancers covering the long region of regulatory DNA and are densely occupied by transcription factors, active histone marks, and co-activators. Accumulating evidence points to the critical role that super-enhancers play in cell type-specific development and differentiation, as well as in the development of various diseases. Here, I provide a comprehensive description of the optimal approach for identifying functional units of super-enhancers and their unique chromatin features in normal development and in diseases, including cancers. I also review the recent updated knowledge on novel approaches of targeting super-enhancers for the treatment of specific diseases, such as small-molecule inhibitors and potential gene therapy. This review will provide perspectives on using super-enhancers as biomarkers to develop novel disease diagnostic tools and establish new directions in clinical therapeutic strategies.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.19-23
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• 2003

Neurons in the mammalian visual cortex can be dassified into the two main categories of simple cells and complex cells based on their response properties. Here, we find the complex features corresponding to the response of complex cells by applying the unsupervised independent component analysis network to input images. This result will be helpful to elucidate the information processing mechanism of neurons in primary visual cortex.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.86-98
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• 2023

The genome is almost identical in all the cells of the body. However, the functions and morphologies of each cell are different, and the factors that determine them are the genes and proteins expressed in the cells. Over the past decades, studies on epigenetic information, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin accessibility, and chromatin conformation have shown that these properties play a fundamental role in gene regulation. Furthermore, various diseases such as cancer have been found to be associated with epigenetic mechanisms. In this study, we summarized the biological properties of epigenetics and single-cell epigenomic profiling techniques, and discussed future challenges in the field of epigenetics.

• Korean Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
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• v.56 no.12
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• pp.749-753
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• 2013

Basically stem cells have characteristics of multi-potency, differentiation into multiple tissue types, and self-renew through proliferation. Recent advances in stem cell biology can make identifying the stem-cell like cells in various mammalian tissues. Stem cells in various tissues can restore damaged tissue. Stem cells from the adult nervous system proliferate to form clonal floating colonies called spheres in vitro, and recent studies have demonstrated sphere formation by cells in the tympanic membrane, vestibular system, spiral ganglion, and partly in the organ of Corti. The presence of stem cells in the ear raises the possibilities for the regeneration of the tympanic membrane & inner ear hair cells & neurons. But the gradual loss of stem cells postnatally in the organ of Corti may correlate with the loss of regenerative capacity and limited hearing restoration. Future strategies using endogenous stem cells in the ear can be the another treatment modality for the patients with intractable inner ear diseases.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.573-578
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• 2023

The mammalian skin contains hair follicles, which are epidermal appendages that undergo periodic cycles and exhibit mini-organ features, such as discrete stem cell compartments and different cellular components. Wound-induced hair follicle neogenesis (WIHN) is the remarkable ability to regenerate hair follicles after large-scale wounding and occurs in several adult mammals. WIHN is comparable to embryonic hair follicle development in its processes. Researchers are beginning to identify the stem cells that, in response to wounding, develop into neogenic hair follicles, as well as to understand the functions of immune cells, mesenchymal cells, and several signaling pathways that are essential for this process. WIHN represents a promising therapeutic approach to the reprogramming of cellular states for promoting hair follicle regeneration and preventing scar formation. In the scope of this review, we investigate the contribution of several cell types and molecular mechanisms to WIHN.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.176-184
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• 2006

The controversy on genotoxicity of molinate, an herbicide, has been reported in bacterial system, and in vitro and in vivo mammalian systems. To clarify the genotoxicity of molinate, we performed bacterial gene mutation test, in vitro chromosome aberration and mouse lymphoma $tk^{+/-}$ gene assay, and in vivo micronucleus assay using bone marrow cells and peripheral reticulocytes of mice. In bacterial gene mutation assay, no mutagenicity of molinate ($12-185{\mu}g/plate$) was observed in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98, 100, 1535 and 1537 both in the absence and in the presence of S-9 metabolic activation system. The clastogenicity of molinate was observed in the presence ($102.1-408.2\;{\mu}g/mL$) of metabolic activation system in mammalian cell system using Chinese hamster lung fibroblast. However, no clastogenicity was observed in the absence ($13.6-54.3\;{\mu}g/mL$) of metabolic activation system. It is suggested that the genotoxicity of molinate was derived some metabolites by metabolic activation. Molinate was also subjected to mouse lymphoma L5178Y $tk^{+/-}$ cells using microtiter cloning technique. In the absence of S-9 mixture, mutation frequencies (MFs) were revealed $1.4-1.9{\times}10^{-4}$ with no statistical significance. However, MFs in the presence of metabolic activation system revealed $3.2-3.4{\times}10^{-4}$ with statistical significance (p<0.05). In vivo micronucleus (MN) assay using mouse bone marrow cells, molinate revealed genotoxic potential in the dose ranges of 100-398 mg/kg of molinate when administered orally. Molinate also subjected to acridine orange MN assay with mouse peripheral reticulocytes. The frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes (MNRETs) induced 48 hr after i.p. injection at a single dose of 91, 182 and 363 mg/kg of molinate was dose-dependently increased as $10.2{\pm}4.7,\;14.6{\pm}3.9\;and\;28.6{\pm}6.3\;(mean{\pm}SD\;of\;MNRETs/2,000\;reticulocytes)$ with statistical significance (p<0.05), respectively. Consequently, genotoxic potential of molinate was observed in in vitro mammalian mutagenicity systems only in the presence of metabolic activation system and in vivo MN assay using both bone marrow cells and peripheral reticulocytes in the dose ranges used in this experiment. These results suggest that metabolic activation plays a critical role to express the genotoxicity of molinate in in vitro and in vivo mammalian system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.635-647
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• 2014

Unfertilized oocytes age inevitably after ovulation, which limits their fertilizable life span and embryonic development. Rapamycin affects mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) expression and cytoskeleton reorganization during oocyte meiotic maturation. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of rapamycin treatment on aged porcine oocytes and their in vitro development. Rapamycin treatment of aged oocytes for 24 h (68 h in vitro maturation [IVM]; $44h+10{\mu}M$ rapamycin/24 h, $47.52{\pm}5.68$) or control oocytes (44 h IVM; $42.14{\pm}4.40$) significantly increased the development rate and total cell number compared with untreated aged oocytes (68 h IVM, $22.04{\pm}5.68$) (p<0.05). Rapamycin treatment of aged IVM oocytes for 24 h also rescued aberrant spindle organization and chromosomal misalignment, blocked the decrease in the level of phosphorylated-p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and increased the mRNA expression of cytoplasmic maturation factor genes (MOS, BMP15, GDF9, and CCNB1) compared with untreated, 24 h-aged IVM oocytes (p<0.05). Furthermore, rapamycin treatment of aged oocytes decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity and DNA fragmentation (p<0.05), and downregulated the mRNA expression of mTOR compared with control or untreated aged oocytes. By contrast, rapamycin treatment of aged oocytes increased mitochondrial localization (p<0.05) and upregulated the mRNA expression of autophagy (BECN1, ATG7, MAP1LC3B, ATG12, GABARAP, and GABARAPL1), anti-apoptosis (BCL2L1 and BIRC5; p<0.05), and development (NANOG and SOX2; p<0.05) genes, but it did not affect the mRNA expression of pro-apoptosis genes (FAS and CASP3) compared with the control. This study demonstrates that rapamycin treatment can rescue the poor developmental capacity of aged porcine oocytes.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.131-160
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• 1987

Anatomical features of the renal papilla and pelvis and ultrastructures of the epithelium covering these areas in four species of mammals were studied by means of light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. In terms of the morphology of mammalian kidney types distinguished by Sperber(1944), Pfeiffer(1968) and Schmidt-Nielsen(1977), the kidneys of animal species used in this experiment were; 1) the mouse kidney with the fornix between a long conical papilla and the funnel-shaped pelvis, 2) the guinea pig kidney with the peripelvic column and pelvic pouch between a short conical papilla and the funnel-shaped pelvis, 3) the dog kidney with the peripelvic column and pelvic pouch between the crest-shaped papilla and the funnel-shaped pelvis, and 4) the cattle kidney which is divided into multiple renculi with minor and major calyces and pelvis. The renal papilla was lined with the simple or pseudostratified columnar epithelium which covered the inner zone of the renal medulla. The epithelial cells with numerous short microvilli on the surface contained a few organelles. In the mouse, the fornix was lined with one to two cell-layered cuboidal epithelium which covered the outer zone of the renal medulla and a part of the cortex. The epithelial cells of the fornix with numerous short microvilli or microridges on the surface had well-developed organelles. In the guinea pig, the peripelvic column was lined with the simple cuboidal or low columnar epithelium which covered the outer zone of the renal medulla. The epithelial cells with numerous short microvilli on the surface contained well-developed organelles. The pelvic pouch was lined with the pseudostratified columnar epithelium which was composed of four kinds of cells; the secretory cell with small electron-dense granules (310 nm), the secretory cell with large granules (720 nm) showing various electron densities, the mitochondria-rich cell with a single cilium, and the basal cell. Pelves of the mouse and guinea pig, peripelvic column, pelvic pouch and pelvis of the dog, and minor and major calyces and pelvis of the cattle were lined with the transitional epithelium. The fusiform vesicles in the superficial cells of the epithelium were highly developed in the dog, relatively well developed in the mouse and guinea pig, and poorly developed in the cattle. From the above findings, it is suggested that the transport of solutes and water of the urine in the pelvic cavity can take place through the epithelia covering the renal papilla and fornix of the mouse, papilla and peripelvic column of the guinea pig, and papillae of the dog and the cattle. And specialized cell types in the epithelium of the guinea pig pelvic pouch, two kinds of secretory cells and mitochondria-rich cell with a single cilium, could have peculiar functions in the renal pelvis, respectively.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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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.