• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 1990

Bovine oocytes obtained from follicles(2~5mm) of ovaries after slaughter were cultured in TCM 199 medium with 10~20% heat-inactivated estrus cow serum(ECS) for 25~27 hr, at 39$^{\circ}C$ under 5% CO2 in air. At the end of culture period, some oocytes were stained with 1% acetoorcein and examined for the evidence of oocyte maturation. The remainder were used to assess the potential of in vitro fertilization(IVF) with frozen-thawed spermatozoa and subsequent development in media with or without bovine oviduct epithelial cell (BOEC) co-culture. The results obtained were summarized as follows ; 1. The maturation rate of oocyte in vitro in TCM 199 medium with 15% ECS group(76.3) was superior to 10% ECS group(68.3%) and 20% ECS group(64.5%). 2. The IVF rates of oocytes matured in vitro, and formation rate of male and female pronuclei were 63.6%(77/121) and 93.5%(72/77), respectively. The incidence of polyspermy was very low(2.4%). 3. Of 73 oocytes fertilized in vitro and cultured in TCM 199 medium with 10% fetal calf serum for 7 days, 41(56.3%) were cleaved over 2-cell and only 1(2.4%) was developed beyond the 16-cell stage. 4. Of 76 oocytes co-cultured with BOEC, 58(76.3%) were cleavaged and 23(39.7%) were developed to morula and blastocyst stage. The results of this study indicate that co-culture with BOEC deserved a positive effect on the IVF oocyte development through the 16-cell block.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2007

During early embryo development, Oct-4 is an important transcription factor for the early differentiation the present study was first examined methylation status in distal enhancer and promoter region of Oct-4 during mouse pre-implantation embryo development. In oocyte and sperm, high methylation was observed in both distal and proximal of promoter in Oct-4. Following fertilization relatively high methylation level remained until 8-cell stage embryos, but decreased at the morula and blastocyst stage. Specific gene knock down of Oct-4 by siRNA injection into zygote induced higher methylation rates of both distal and proximal region of promoter of Oct-4. These results suggest a functional link between the DNA methylation status of distal and promoter resign in the Oct-4 gene and the gene sequence-specific transcriptional silencing by exogenous siRNA injection during mouse preimplantation embryos.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.243-249
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• 1993

Although plenty of experiments for production of genetically identical twins have been reported, most of these reports were focused on microsurgical bisection of morula stage embryos, and little research has been performed for the production with frozen emb교os. The objective of these experiments were to assess the in vitro and in vitro developmental potential of blastomeres isolated from frozen-thawed 4-cell and 8-cell mouse embryos and to produce the identical multiplets from those embryos. The percentages of isolated 1/4, 2/4, 4/4, (control), 1/8, 2/8, 3/8, 4/8 and 8/8(control) blastomeres of 4-cell and 8-cell mouse emb교os which developed to normal blastocyst were 38.7%, 73.6%, 96.2(control), 15.1%, 40.1%, 65.9%, 88.3%, and 98.5%(control), respectively. The percentages of isolated 1/4, 2/4, 4/4(control), 1/8, 2/8, 3/8, 4/8 and 8/8(control) blastomeres of frozen-thawed 4-cell and 8-cell mouse embryos which developed to normal blastocyst were 35.6%, 68.5%, 100.0%(control), 16.1%, 50.6%, 71.7%, 90.9% and 100.0%(control), respectively. Normal 26 pups were obtained by transfer of 240 blastocyts developed 1, on 1/4 to 8/8 blastomeres. Those 26 pups obtained, 4 identical twins were produced from 2/4, 2/8, 3/8 and 4/8 blastomeres.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 1993

This study was designed to develop the in vitro culture systemof mammalian preimplantation embryos. We proposed mouse fetal fibroblast cells (MFFC) from 14∼15 day mouse fetus. Zygotes from superovulated female ICR mice were cultured 96 hrs in simple defined media (T6) or on the monolayer of MFFC. In addition, to evaluate the action of the co-culture of MFFC, various diluted superoxide dismutase antibody (SOD-Ab) was supplemented into the monolayer of MFFC and zygotes were cultrued in presence or absence of SOD-Ab. The developmental rates of zygotes were significantly increased in co-culture with MFFC compared to the control. The rates of zygotes to the 4-cell stage in media treated with EDTA were higher than those cultured in MFFC but the proportions of morula and blastocyst were not differ between EDTA and MFFC. Interestingly blastocysts in co-culture with MFFC possessed as many as blastomere as those developing in vivo, but blastocysts cultured with EDTA had significantly fewer blastomeres. In addition, the treatment of SOD-Ab suppressed the beneficial effect of MFFC. Therefore, our findings suggest that co-cultrue system using MFFC may have an advantage in the development of mouse zygotes as well as embryonic differentiation.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 1993

To investigate the effect of extracellular matrix proteins on the in vitro development of ethanol-induced parthenogenetic eggs of ICR strain mice, those were cultured in vitro in fibronectin, gelatin, or collagen precoated culture dishes containing 1.5 ml of NaH-C03$_3$-BMOC-3 medium at 37$^{\circ}C$ for 96 hrs. under the atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$ and 95% air. Fibronectin, gelatin, or collagen significantly(P$\pm$1.4, 45.4i1.4, and 44.8$\pm$O.9, respectively. And the diameter of those eggs ranged 104.6$\pm$1.9, 102.8$\pm$2.3, and 103.4$\pm$O.8 $\mu$m, respectively.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.69-75
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• 1986

These studies were carried out to investigate the induction of superovulation, the synchroniration and the effect of the number of embryos transferred, the developmentai stage of embryos and the donor-recipient synchrony on pregnancy rate in cattle. The results obtained in these studies were as follows: 1. The number of oorpus leuteum(CL) and the embryos reoovered were higher in FSH treated animals than in PMSG treated (9.4 vs 8.1 and 6.1 vs 4.5) and showed the same trend in recovery rate (64.9% vs 55.6%). 2. Two shots of cioprostenol at 11 days showed significantly high no. of animals in estrus in order of crossbred, Holstein and Korean native cattle. No significant differencies were noted in the seoond shots groups. And the interval to estrus and response were shorter and better in second shot group than that in first shot group. 3. The pregnancy rate when additional one embryo was transferred after Al at estrus (52.8%) was higher than the group transferred one (32.8%) or two (36.9%) embryos. 4. The pregnancy rate of embryo in morula stage was better than that in blasto cyst stage (39.3% vs 32.5%). 5. The pregnancy rate in the recipients exhibited estrus later than the donor (66.7%) was the higher than those exhibited estrus (40.3%) or exhibited estrus before the donor (37.5%).

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1991

가축의 일란성 쌍태를 생산하기 위한 기술 개발을 확립하고자 상실배 및 포배기에 있는 BALB/c 계통의 생쥐 수정란을 micromanipulator로 분할 수정란을 작출하고 이를 체외배양을 실시하여 발달성적을 조사하였으며, 외과적 및 비외과적 이식을 실시하여 착상율 및 산자생산 성적을 조사한 결과는 다음과 같다. 1. 상실배 및 포기배에 있는 총 811개의 정상적인 수정란을 분할하여 이중에서 666(82.1%)개가 분할시의 물리적인 손상이 없이 분할되었고, 이때 분할 성공율은 발달단계 간에 유의적(P<0.05)인 차이가 없었다. 2. 분할 수정란중 상실배는 30-36시간, 초기 배반포 및 확장 배반포는 3-6시간 배양을 실시한 결과 분할 수정란중 한쌍이 모두 정상적으로 배양된 것은 각각 70.0%, 80.4% 및 73.1%로써 이들 발달단계 간에 유의적(P<0.05)인 차이가 없었다. 3. 분할된 상실배와 정상적인 수정란의 이식후 수태율은 각각 63.6% 및 61.3%로써 유의적(P<0.05)인 차이가 없었다. 그러나 분할된 상실배에 있어서 배양을 하지 않고 이식한 경우에는 전혀 수태되지 않았다(P<0.05). 4. 분할된 포배기 수정란을 체외 배양후 이식한 수태율(55.5%)과 배양과정을 거치지 않고 이식한 성적(43.8%) 그리고 정상적인 포배기 수정란을 이식한 수태율(55.4%) 간에는 유의적(P<0.05)인 차이가 없었다. 5. 분할 수정란을 외과적 방법으로 이식한 경우는 52.8%의 수태율을 얻었으나, 비외과적 방법으로 이식한 경우 27.5%로써 외과적 방법으로 이식한 경우보다 수태율이 유의적(P<0.05)으로 낮았다.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.239-243
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• 2001

Selection of oocyte cryopreservation method is a prerequisite factor for developing an effective bank system. Compared with slow freezing method, the vitrification has various advantages such as avoiding intracellular ice crustal formation. In our previous, we attempted to employ a vitrification method using ethylene glycol and an electron microscope grid for cryopreservation of mouse oocytes. However, A high incidence of spindle and chromosome abnormalities was detected in thawed oocytes after vitrification. We examined whether the addition of a cystoskeleton stabilizer Taxol $^{TM}$, to the vitrification solution could promote the post-thawed survival and subsequent development of stored oocytes. More oocytes developed to the 4-cell (44.7% vs. 69.7%), 8-cell (31.8% vs. 64.2%), morula (24.7% vs. 54.3%), and blastocyst (20.3% vs. 49.2%) stages after the addition of Taxol$^{TM}$ to the cryoprotectant than after no addition. 21 and 26 mouse pups were born after transfer of blastocyst derived from oocytes vitrified without and with Taxol. The addition of Taxol to vitrification solution greatly promoted post-thaw preimplantation development of ICR morose oocytes.tes.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 1999

The objectives of the study were to establish sperm separation method and duration of insemination for bovine IVF. Oocytes from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured and fertilized using general protocol. After 18 or 42 h of insemination, six to ten embryos were placed into a 30${mu}ell$ drop of each medium, and the embryos were examined 7~10d post in semination without medium renewal. First, we compared Percoll gradient will swim-up technique for sperm separation. There was no difference in cleavage rates between them, but the development rates over morula stage of oocytes fertilized with sperm separated by Percoll gradient was significantly higher than that sperm selected by swim-up technique (p<0.05). Second, we evaluated development of bovine embryos derived from the IVF procedure with different durations(18 vs 42 h) of fertilization. There was also no difference in cleavage rates, but the development to blastocyst stage of oocytes exposed in cleavage rates, but the development to blastocyst stage of oocytes exposed to sperm for 42 h was significantly higher than that exposed for 18 h (p<0.05). In conclusion, Percoll gradient can be used for sperm selecton, improving of embryonic development. Also, 42h of IVF may improve the development of bovine embryos.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.93-97
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• 1989

These experiments were carried out to develop the technique of nuclear transplantation necessary for elevating utilization efficiency of high quality embryos and the production of clone animals. Embryos of pronucleus stages were obtained from ICR mice. Removal of pronuclei and their transfer to recipient embryos were carried out by micromanipulation and virus mediation. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows ; 1. Total 337 pairs of pronuclear stage embryos were subjected to nuclear transplantatin and 247 pairs(73.3%) of them were successfully transplanted and the number of fused embryos between transplanted nucleus and cytoplasm was 188 pairs(55.8%). 2. Of the 188 fused embryos cultured in vitro, 174(92.4%), 131(69.7%) and 117(62.2%) embryos were developed to 2-cell, morula and blastocyst stages, respectively. 3. When total 104 nuclear transplanted embryos were transferred to uteri of recipient mice on day 2-3 of pseudopregnancy, 4 of 12 recipient mice were pregnant and the number of embryos developed to young was 28(26.9%).