• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.121-130
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of breeding conditions on reproductive efficiency of thoroughbred broodmares by ultrasonography. The mean age and breeding career of 120 mares used in this study were 11 years old and 6 years, respectively. The average pregnancy rate and embryonic loss rate were 87.5%, 11.8%. The groups that were 8-10 years old, 4-6 years, maiden and mated on May showed the highest pregnancy rate. While mares mated on 1st estrus post partus had the highest ovulation rate but showed the highest embryonic loss rate and he lowest pregnancy rate. And broodmares that had more intrauterine foreign bodies such as cyst and fluid with age and breeding career had represented lower pregnancy rate and higher embryonic loss rate than those having normal uterine condition. These results suggest that the breeding condition and uterine environment of mares had a significant influence on reproductive efficiency.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 1998

We have previously demonstrated that specific antigens involved in autoimmunity in endometriosis may be endometrial proteins with molecular weight (mw) of 71, 92, and 103 kilodalton (kDa). The purposes of this study were to determine the incidence of IgG antibodies against these endometrial antigens in peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis and to evaluate the antigenic differences between the endometria of patients with and without endometriosis. Forty peritoneal fluid (PF) from 24 patients with endometriosis and 16 patients without endometriosis (control patients) were tested against endometrial protein from patients (n=8) with endometriosis and from control patients (n=10) by western blot. Fifteen (62.5%) of 24 PF samples from patients with endometriosis had specific Immunoglobuiin (Ig) G antibodies against one of three endometrial proteins with mw of 71, 92 and 103 kDa but none of PF samples from control patients had these antibodies. The electrophoretic pattern of endometrial proteins from patients with endometriosis was similiar to that from control patients. Furthemore there was no significant difference in specific PF Immunoglobulin G binding to endometrial proteins regardless of origin of these proteins. Our data indicate that specific humoral immune response can be found in PF of patients with endometriosis and that specific antigens inducing this immune response are present in human endometrium and that there is no antigenic difference between the endometria of patients with and without endometriosis.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.62-62
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• 1996

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.61.2-62
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• 1996

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1995.12a
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• pp.56.2-57
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• 1995

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.261-271
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• 2004

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the possibility of prolonged culture of human embryonic stem cells (hESC; SNUhES2) on human amniotic fluid cells (hAFC), which had been storaged after karyotyping. Method: The hAFC was prepared for feeder layer in the presence of Chang's medium and STO medium (90% DMEM, 10% FBS) at $37^{circ}C$ in a 5% $CO_2$ in air atmosphere. Prior to use as a feeder layer, hAFC was mitotically inactivated by mitomycin C. The hESCs on hAFC were passaged mechanically every seven days with ES culture medium (80% DMEM/F12, 20% SR, bFGF). Results: The hAFC feeder layer support the growth of undifferentiated state of SNUhES2 for at least 59 passages thus far. SNUhES2 colonies on hAFC feeder appeared slightly angular and flatter shape as compared with circular and thicker colonies observed with STO feeder layer and showed higher level with complete undifferentiation in seven days. Like hESC cultured on STO feeders, SNUhES2 grown on hAFC expressed normal karyotype, positive for alkaline phosphatase activity, high telomerase activity, Oct-4, SSEA-3, SSEA-4, Tra-1-60 and Tra-1-81 and formed embryoid bodies (EBs). Conclusion: The hAFC supports undifferentiated growth of hESC. Therefore, these results may help to provide a clinically practicable method for expansion of hESC for cell therapies.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.173-179
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• 1991

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro developmental promoting effect of human amniotic fluid (AF) on pronucleate 1-cell mouse embryos. The AF was obtained from five patients undergoing amniocentesis for the routine diagnosis of fetal abnormality. The supernatant was filtered ($0.22{\mu}m$) after centrifugation and stored at $-20^{\circ}C$. One-cell embryos were cultured in four study groups (10% AF, 0.4% BSA, 10% AF+0.4% BSA & no-supplement in Ham's F10) for 6 days (EXP. 1). Significantly more embryos hatched in 10% AF (P<0.0l), although no difference was found among other three groups. The embryos were also cultured in varous concentration of AF (0, 10, 50 & 100%) for 7 days (EXP. 2). The rate of hatched blastocysts was significantly higher in 10%- and 50% group than in 0% and 100%- one at day 6 (P<0.05) and day 7 (P<0.005), although no difference was found between 10% and 50%- group.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.186-193
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• 2020

Objective: The effectiveness of Staphylococcus protein A (SPA) in improving the penetration ability of sperm and reducing antisperm antibody (ASA) titers in immunologically infertile males was evaluated. Methods: Seminal fluid samples were obtained from 15 infertile men, and ASA titers were assessed with the latex agglutination test. Identification of immunoglobulin (Ig) classes and characterization of the antigens involved in the immune response were performed using indirect immunofluorescence. Local ASAs typically present as a mixture of IgG and IgA classes. The capillary tube penetration method was used to assess the capability of spermatozoa to penetrate the cervical mucus (CM). Results: ASAs associated with the neck region of sperm showed a significantly lower migration distance in the CM of infertile females than ASAs associated with the head or tail segments. ASA-positive seminal fluid exhibited significant increases in the mean migration distance (2.6 ± 1.4 cm vs. 1.54 ± 1.1 cm, respectively; p< 0.001) and sperm concentration (174 ± 121.0 × 10³/mL vs. 101 ± 93.7 × 10³/mL, respectively; p= 0.033) after treatment with SPA compared to pre-treated samples. A significant reduction (p< 0.01) in the recorded ASA titer was detected. Conclusion: These results indicate that SPA can be used as a sorting regimen for insemination programs. However, further studies are warranted to assess its influence on pregnancy rate.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2022

The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2) appears to be widely expressed in cells in the testes, predominantly in spermatogonia, Sertoli cells, and Leydig cells, and its co-expression with transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) is essential for the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). For this reason, the male reproductive system could be considered a potential target for SARS-CoV-2, as well as a possible reservoir of infection. However, to date, there is very little evidence about the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen and testicular samples. The aim of this paper was to review the current evidence regarding the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on male fertility and sexual health, with a particular focus on reproductive hormones, the presence of the virus in seminal fluid and testis, and its impact on fertility parameters. We found very limited evidence reporting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen and testicular samples, and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on reproductive hormones and fertility parameters is unclear. The quality of the examined studies was poor due to the small sample size and several selection biases, precluding definitive conclusions. Hence, future well-designed prospective studies are needed to assess the real impact of SARS-CoV-2 on male reproductive function.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 1996

This study was performed to investigate the effect of human follicular fluid (HFF) on development of mouse embryos, for evaluating the suitability of HFF as a substitutive material of human fetal cord serum in ART program. The various concentrations of HFF were added into the culture medium and the effects of HFF concentrations were examined to identify the optimal concentration of HFF for embryo development. The potency of HFF in improving embryo development was compared to that of other protein supplement. Collected HFFs were classified with the maturity of the containing oocytes; mature, immature, atretic, and then the effects of the classified HFFs on embryo development were examined. Also, HFF was separated into the low (<30,000 Da) and high (>30,000 Da) molecular weight fractions and the effects of the fractions on embryo development were investigated. The highest development rate was found in culture medium supplemented with 20% HFF, bnt this rate was reversely reduced at the concentrations of HFF higher than 20%. The development rates to the blastocyst, hatching blastocyst, attachment and outgrowth cultured in mature HFF was significantly higher than those in immature and atretic HFF, and mean cell number in blastocyst was higher in mature HFF than in immature and atretic HFF. The development rates of mouse embryos according to protein sources were significantly higher in HFF than in fetal cord serum (FCS), maternal serum (MS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), and mean cell number in blastocyst cultured in HFF was higher than that in FCS, MS and BSA. The development rates of embryo and mean cell number in blastocyst cultured in high molecular weight fraction of HFF were higher than those in low molecular weight fraction, but the results of high molecular weight fraction were lower than those of whole HFF. Therefore, these results indicated that human mature follicular fluid was useful for improving the development of mouse embryos, which suggests a possibility that HFF also may be used efficiently for improving the culture condition in human ART program as a protein supplement.