• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.652-658
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• 1998

The efficiency of nuclear transfer using donor embryos originated from ovum pickup(OPU) and activated recipient cytoplasts were examined for induction of twinning in Korean native cattle(KNC). After aspiration of follicle by OPU, regardless of the vacuum applied, we obtained same result in proportions of recovered cumulus-oocyte complex (COCs) with compact cumulus. Under electric stimulation(1.0kV/cm DC for $40{\mu}s$), most of activated oocytes proceed to anaphase II/telophase II within 3h(84.7%). In the treatment of oocyte activation, the preactivation which was performed before fusion had significant effect on the developmental rates to morula/blastocyst stage(9.4 vs 4.0%). In embryo transfer of nuclear transferred embryos, we obtained 2 twins from KNC recipients and 1 twin from a Holstein recipient. Our results showed that it is possible to obtain twins using nuclear transfer technique in KNC.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.894-896
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• 2000

In vitro fertilization can be used for salvaging superior buffalo germplasm which otherwise goes waste after the slaughter of animals. This technology has also increased our basic understanding of growth of germ cells and embryos. The requirement of growing embryos is peculiar and stage specific. In the present study the cleavage and development of buffalo embryos were studied with homologous (buffalo) and heterologous (goat) oviductal cell co-culture systems. The cleavage rate improved significantly (p<0.01) in both homologous and heterologous co-culture as compared to control (55.3, 46.8 and 11.4%). The morula formation using homologous and heterologous oviductal cells also increased significantly as compared to control group (43.6, 21.9 & 1.9%). There was no blastula formation in control group, but addition of oviductal cells either from homologous or heterologous species significantly increased the blastula formation (9.5, 12.5%). The cleavage rate and embryo development was slightly better (non significant) in homologous as compared to heterologous oviductal cell culture. It was concluded that the use of oviductal cell co-culture (homologous and heterologous species) have significantly improved cleavage and development of buffalo embryos in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.133-140
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• 1990

This study was conducted to develop a simple and efficient technique for fusing 2-cell mouse embryos to obtain tertraploid embryos. Various concentration of PEG and exposure times were compared in order to determine the best condition for fusion and subsequent of fused embryos. The results obtained were follows ; 1. The incidence of fusion induction treated with 40% PEG(70.8%) and 45%(62.7%) for 60 sec. exposure were higher than those of 40% and 45% PEG for 30 sec., 90 sec., or 120 sec. exposure group. Also, the highest incidence of fusion induction(76.9%) was achieved with 120 sec. exposure at 50% PEG concentration. 2. Fused embryos after PEG treatment were cleavaged 2-to 4-cell, 8-cell, morula and blastocyst at 20-24 hr., 30-34., 44-52 hr., respectively, and were not different from those obtained fleshly. 3. The high proportions of the embryos developed to blastocysts after blastomere fusion with 40% PEG for 60 sec., 45% PEG for 60 sec. and 50% for 120 sec. were 66.7%(42/63), 69.0%(29/42) and 32.0%(16/50), respectively, this trend indicated that the fusion rate was similar to the incidence of fused embryos forming blastocysts. 4. The cell number of blastocyst developed from fused embryos(18.7 2.6) was samller than that of untreated embryos(48.9 1.69)

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 1998

This experiment was carried out to improve in vitro development of rabbit one-cell embryos to the blastocyst stage. One-cell rabbit embryos were collected at 19\ulcorner20hr after superovulation induction and incubated at 39\ulcorner in 5% CO2 for 72hr. In order to find optimum conditions in medium that affects the rabbit embryo's development in vitro, RDH medium which mixed with RPMI1640, DMEM and Ham's F10 was compared with the previously reported mediums (Ham's F10 and RD) for embryo development and cell numbers. Three additives (BSA, taurine and glucose) were tested for the development of rabbit one-cell embryos in vitro. When the embryos were cultured in RDH medium, their development was markedly promoted as compared with Ham's F-10 or RD alone. Glucose exhibited no significant effects on embryo development and cell numbers. BSA a, pp.ared to promote transition from morula to blastocyst stage and taurine increased cell numbers of cultured embryos markedly regardless of medium. BSA and taurine together in RDH medium showed the additive effects on embryos development and cell number.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 2000

Techniques for manipulation of spermatozoa and oocytes have been widely used for in vitro production(IVP) of Hanwoo. This study was conducted to examine the effects of theophylline and heparin on frozen-thawed Hanwoo sperm for enhancing the efficiency of IVP technique. Oocytes were inseminated with forzen bull semen treated with either theophylline or heparin for examining the effect of each substance on fertilization and subsequent development. More (P<0.05) oocytes formed pronucleus and develop to the morula and blastocyst stages after inseminated with sperm treated with heparin than after inseminated with sperm treated with theophylline. The pregnancy rate after embryo transfer was higher after heparin treatment than after theophylline treatment, but did not differ significantly. There was no significant difference of offspring delivery between two groups. In conculsion, theophylline and heparin can be used for enhancing the efficiency of IVP system for Hanwoo. Considering characteristics of these substance, theophylline may be useful in the artificial insemination system, which requires vigorous sperm motility. While, heparin supporting sperm viability in vitro can be effectively used for improving in vitro-fertilization system.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 1989

Total thirty of flushing were attempted on day 4 to 15 of estrus cycle with S heifers and 9 cows by nonsurgical method. The flushed or recovered rate among flushings was 86.7% (26/30) or 88.5% (23/26), respectively. There was no difference in the recovered rate between heifers (85.7%,6/7) and cows (89.5%, 17119). The embryo was recovered on day 4 to 15 of estrus cycle from the donors in natural heat without any technical difficulties.The I2FG Foley catheter used for pubertal heifers had sometimes plug in it with uterine mucus during flushing of uterine horn. But the problem could be overcomed by pumping the catherter with fluthing solution or by changing the catheter. Three normal embryos were recovered from 3 pubertal (10-11 month old) heifers. The rate of normal and abnormal eggs was 60.9% (14123) and 39.1% (9/23), respectively. The abnormal eggs were on degenerating except one unfertilized egg and were mostly recovered from heifers or cows flushed consecutively during the estrus cycle. The developmental states of normal embryos were l6-cells on day 5, 32-cells on day 6, compacted-morula on day 7, early-to expanded-blastocyst on day 8-to 9, and hatching-to hatched-blastocyst on day 10 to 11 of estrus cycle. The stage of embryos on day 8 to 10 showed varities among donors. On day 8 to 9 of estrus cycle hatching-blas tocyst was recovered from some donors.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 2010

During normal early embryonic development in mammals, the global pattern of genomic DNA methylation undergoes marked. changes. The level of methylation is high in male and female gametes. Thus, we cloned the cDNA of the porcine DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) gene to promote the efficiency of the generation of porcine clones. In this study, porcine Dnmt1 cDNA was sequenced, and Dnmt1 mRNA expression was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase reaction (RT-PCR) in porcine tissues during embryonic development. The porcine Dnmt1 cDNA sequence showed more homology with that of bovine than human, mouse, and rat. The complete sequence of porcine Dnmt1 cDNA was 4,774-bp long and consisted of an open reading frame encoding a protein of 1611 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of porcine DNMT1 showed significant homology with those of bovine (91%), human (88%), rat (76%), and mouse (75%) Dnmt1. The expression of porcine Dnmt1 mRNA was detected during porcine embryogenesis. The mRNA was detected at stages of porcine preimplantation development (1-cell, 2-cell, 4-cell, 8-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages). It was also abundantly expressed in tissues (lung, ovary, kidney and somatic cells). Further investigations are necessary to understand the complex links between methyltransferase 1 and the transcriptional activity in cloned porcine tissues.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.141-148
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• 1989

The effects of seeding method and optimum time for freezing embryos according to the developmental stages on embryo survival rates after rapid freezing were determined using the FDA-test. The summarized results are as follows : 1. In the rapid freezing of embryos, the sucrose added medium together with Co-seeding or non-seeding showed the FDA scores of 4.67 and 4.20, respectively, but, raffinose addition obtained FDA scores of 4.27 and 3.97. 2. The developmental stage of embryos at freezing was most critical on the survival of embryos after thawing. Higher FDA scores were obtained in the order of blastocyst stage(4.94), morula stage(3.82) and ealy stage(2.65) in sucrose added medium. The same trend was observed in the raffinose added medium with an order or 4.91, 4.47 and 2.32. 3. Microscopic study of embryo before freezing and post-thawing indicated that the embryo showed shrinkage within 5 minutes after the embryo was transfer to the freezing medium. When thawed embryo was tranfered to the dilution medium, swelling of the embryo was observed and there after it reshrank indicating the removal of cryoprotectant from the embryo. The size of the embryo recovered to the original state when it was moved into a PBS-solution.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.171-178
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• 1989

These experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of a co-culture with granulosa cells on in vitro maturation, fertilization and development of bovine follicular oocytes. The bovine ovaries were obtained at a slaughter house and the follicular oocytes were recovered by aspirating the follicular fluid from the visible follicles of diameter 2-6mm. Bovine oocytes were matured in vitro for 24-26 hr and then fertilized in vitro using epididymal spermatozoa capacitated by preincubation for 2-3hr in BO solution containing BSA(5mg/ml) and caffein(25mM). Eight hours after insemination, the oocytes were cultured in a co-culture system with granulosa cells. The rates of maturation of the follicular oocytes cultured in a co-culture system with granulosa cells were 83.1%, the rate of fertilization of the follicular oocytes culture in a co-culture in a co-culture system with granulosa cells were 76.9%, respectively. No significant difference are observed between control and treatment in maturation and fertilization rates. The rates of embryos developed to 2-, 4-, 8-, 16-cell and monula stages after co-cultured with granulosa cells were 65.8, 57.9, 39.5, 34.2 and 34.2%, respectively. The value for 16-and morula stages were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the embryos cultured in the basic medium.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 1998

The embryogenesis stimulating activity(ESA) had been shown in co-culture of embryos with bovine oviduct epithelial cell(BOEC) and culture in BOEG-conditioned medium. The present study was undertaken to purify and quantify the embryotropic proteins and to determine the optimum concentration of the embryotropic protein for the proper development of embryos. In BOEC-conditioned medium, five major bands of proteins were detected(66, 53, 40, 32 and 24 kDa) by SDS-PAGE. From these proteins, 288pg of protein that had a 32kDa molecular weight was purified by gel filtration column and perfusion chromatography ion-exchange column. When purified protein was supplemented to the in vitro culture media at various concentrations in protein-free media, 2.5$\mu$g /ml supplement group showed significantly higher rates of embryo development into morula /blastocyst stages than other groups(p<0.05). In conclusion, we purified 32kDa protein from BOEC-conditioned medium and this protein showed optimum embryogenesis stimulating effect at 2.5$\mu$g /ml.