• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.135-144
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• 1980

The reproductive cycle and the breeding season of the freshwater clam, Anodonta (Sinanodonta) woodiana (Lea) have been investigated by histological examination of the gonadal development under photomicroscopy. The materials were monthly collected from the Nakdong River for one year from September 1979 to August 1980. Sexuality of Anodonta (Sinanodonta) woodiana is dioecious, and the species are ovoviviparous. The gonads are irregularly arranged from the subregion of mid-intestinal gland in visceral cavity to reticular connective tissue of foot. The ovary is composed of a number of small ovarian sacs, The epithelium of ovarian sac has a function of the germinal epithelium. Oogonia actively proliferate along the germinal epithelium of the ovarian sac, in which young oocytes are growing. The testis is composed of a number of seminiferous tubules, and the epithelium of the tubule has function of germinal epithelium, along which spermatogonia actively proliferate. A great number of undifferentiated mesenchymal tissue and eosinophilic granular cells are abundantly distributed between the growing oocytes and spermatocytes in the early development stages. With the further development of the ovary and testis these tissues and cells gradually disappear. Then the undifferentiated mesenchymal tissue and granular cells are considered to be related to the growing of the oocytes and spermatocytes. The gonads had function year-round the individuals which have various developmental stages of gonads appearing all the time. Spawning continued year-round except for the period of high temperature of water, during August and September. The peak spawning seasons appeared twice a year between January and March, and between June and July in 1980. Individuals which have trochophore larvae in the marsupium of the adult appeared year-round except September 1579 and August 1980. The rate of individuals which have glochidia in the marsupium was 72.7 percent in May 1980 which was the highest brooding fate.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.323-335
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• 2002

Object: The present study was accomplished to obtain a gene expression profile of the luminal epithelium during embryo apposition in comparison of implantation (1M) and interimplantation (INTER) sites. Material and Method: The mouse uterine luminal epithelium from IM and INTER sites were sampled on day 4.5 (Day of vaginal plug = day 0.5) by Laser Captured Microdissection (LCM). RNA was extracted from LCM captured epithelium, amplified, labeled and hybridized to microarrays. Results from microarray hybridization were analyzed by Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) method. Differential expression of some genes was confirmed by LCM followed by RT-PCR. Results: Comparison of IM and INTER sites by SAM identified 73 genes most highly ranked at IM, while 13 genes at the INTER sites, within the estimated false discovery rate (FDR) of 0.163. Among 73 genes at IM, 20 were EST/unknown function, and the remain 53 were categorized to the structural, cell cycle, gene/protein expression, immune reaction, invasion, metabolism, oxidative stress, and signal transduction. Of the 24 structural genes, 14 were related especially to extracellular matrix and tissue remodeling. Meanwhile, among 13 genes up-regulated at INTER, 8 genes were EST/unknown function, and the rest 5 were related to metabolism, signal transduction, and gene/protein expression. Among these 58 (53+5) genes with known functions, 13 genes (22.4%) were related with $Ca^{2+}$ for their function. Conclusions: Results of the present study suggest that 1) active tissue remodeling is occurring at the IM sites during embryo apposition, 2) the INTER sites are relatively quiescent than IM sites, and 3) the $Ca^{2+}$ may be a crucial for apposition. Search for human homologue of those genes expressed in the mouse luminal epithelium during apposition will help to understand the implantation process and/or implantation failure in humans.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.223-229
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• 2008

Objective: This pilot study was performed to investigate the effect of metformin on insulin resistance, hormone levels, and lipid profiles in non-obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Methods: This study included 16 non-obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome diagnosed at our hospital from June 2006 to September 2007. Blood samples were collected before and 6 months after metformin treatment for analysis of fasting serum glucose levels, fasting serum insulin levels, a glycemic response to 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and hormonal blood profile including FSH, LH, estradiol, testosterone, free testosterone, serum lipid profiles. Insulin resistance was estimated by calculating fasting glucose/insulin ratio (FGIR), 2 hr glucose/insulin ratio after 75 g glucose load. And we investigated insulin resistance and pancreatic beta cell function by calculating HOMA beta cell function and HOMA IR. Results: After the treatment of metformin, there was significant increase in 2 hr glucose/insulin ratio after 75 g glucose load (p=0.04) and decrease in HOMA IR (p=0.000). But serum lipid profiles did not change significantly. Also the metformin treatment induced a significant reduction in serum free testosterone and LH levels, and LH/FSH ratio (p=0.001, p=0.000, p=0.034). Conclusion: This pilot study showed that metformin might be effective in improving insulin sensitivity, ameliorating hyperandrogenemia in non-obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Further investigations with larger number of patients and long-term observations are necessary to determine the role of metformin.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.225-230
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• 1999

In mouse, the heat shock protein 70-2 (hsp70-2) is found to have special function in spermatogenesis. Based on the observation, the hypothesis that human hspA2 (human gene; 98.2% amino acid homology with hsp70-2) might have important function in spermatogenesis in human testes was proposed. To test the hypothesis, we examined the expression of hspA2 in human tissues. Expression vector pDMC4 for expression of the human hspA2 protein using pTricHisB (invitrogen, USA) was constructed and the expressed hspA2 protein was cross-reacted with antiserum 2A raised against mouse hsp70-2 protein. Based on the cross-reactivity, we determined the expression level of hspA2 protein in human tissues by western blot analysis using the antiserum 2A. We demonstrated that antiserum 2A antibodies detected human hspA2 protein with specificity which was produced in the E.coli expression system. On Western blot analyses, significant hspA2 expression was observed in testes with normal spermatogenesis, whereas a low level of hspA2 was expressed in testis with Sertoli-cell only syndrome. Also, a small amount of hspA2 was detected in breast, stomach, prostate, colon, liver, ovary, and epididymis. These results demonstrate that the hspA2 protein is highly expressed in male specific germ cells, which in turn suggests that hspA2 protein might playa specific role during meiosis in human testes as suggested in the murine model. However, further studies should be attempted to determine the function of hspA2 protein in human spermatogenesis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 1998

This study was performed to determine the effects of nitric oxide on human sperm cell function. Semen samples were obtained from normal healthy volunteers. Motile spermatozoas collected by swim-up method were incubated up to 24 hours in Ham's F-10 medium supplemented with a various concentration of sodium nitroprusside (nitric oxide releasing agent). Sperm motility, hyperactivation, acrosome reaction rate, and acrosin activity were determined. The results are as follows; 1. 1mM of SNP resulted in a significant decrease in sperm motility ($44.8%{\pm}8.9%:78.1%{\pm}6.3%$, and hyperactivation $(10.4%{\pm}6.4%:47.7%:{\pm}9.5%)$ after incubation for 3 hours compared with the control group (Ham's F-10 alone), but had no effect on acrosome reaction. 2. At $100{\mu}M$ SNP, sperm motility was reduced after incubation for 6 hours $(54.8%{\pm}3.2%)$ compared with that of the control group $(82.7%{\pm}8.9%)$, but hyperactivation and acrosome reaction were not affected. 3. However, a lower concentration (less than $10{\mu}M$) of SNP had no effect on sperm motility and hyperactivation for 8 hours of incubation but significantly decreased them when incubation periods were increased up to 24 hours compared with the control group. On the other hand, $1{\mu}M$ and $10{\mu}M$ SNP significantly increased the acrosome reaction rate in both acrosomal status ($17.3%{\pm}5.2%$, $23.5%{\pm}4.7%$, respectively) and acrosin activity ($34.3{\mu}IU{\pm}10.5{\mu}IU,\;45.6{\mu}IU{\pm}5.6{\mu}IU$, respectively) as compared with the control group $(7.0%{\pm}4.0%,\;9.5{\mu}IU{\pm}3.4{\mu}IU)$. These results indicate that SNP, NO releasing agent, has a dose-dependent effects on the sperm cell function. Therefore it may positively affect the fertilization by promoting acrosomal reaction at a lower concentration (less than $10{\mu}M$).

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2007

Aging causes thymus involution, and genes in thymus play an important role in the development of the immune system. In this study, we compared genes expressed in thymus of neonatal and peripubertal rats using annealing control primers (ACPs)-based GeneFishing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and semiquantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. We identified 10 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with 20 ACPs. Of 10 DEGs, bystin-like, collagen type V alpha 1 (COL5A1), and T-cell receptor beta-chain segment 2 (TCRB2) that are related to immune-function were detected in rat thymus. Bystin-like and TCRB2 were up-regulated, while COL5A1 was down-regulated in peripubertal thymus. Semiquantitative RT-PCR confirmed postnatal changes in expression of bystin-like, COL5A1, and TCRB2. These results suggest that bystin-like, COL5A1, and TCRB2 could regulate immune function controlled in thymus as age increases.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.209-218
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• 1983

A study on the function of the Laurer's canal of Clonorchis sinensis was conducted with help of the light microscope, the transmission electron microscope, and the scanning elctron microscope. Some selected sexual organs concerning with the passages of the spermatozoa and the eggs were observed in detail. The conclusion of this study is that the Laurer's canal may be the copulatory organ of the female reproductive system as Miyazaki et al. suggested in case of lung flukes.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.197-205
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• 2020

Objectives : We analyzed the descriptions of Doek(德)·Qi(氣)·Saeng(生)·Jeong(精)·Sin(神)·Hon(魂)·Baek(魄)·Sim(心)·Ui(意)·Ji(志)·Sa(思)·Ji(智)·Ryeo(慮)·Ji(智) which are the concepts mentioned in the beginning of the ≪Lingshu·Benshen≫. Methods : We reinterpreted this verse in ≪Lingshu·Benshen≫ from the viewpoint of evolution and development of mental function and considered it in relation to the knowledge of modern psychology and brain science. Results & Conclusions : The reproductive essence of the parents are combined, primitive essence (元精) is created and simultaneously primitive spirit is born. Primitive spirit first differentiates into Hon and Baek. Hon and Baek are instinctive mental functions. Up to this point, because the process is completed before birth, primitive spirit, Hon, and Baek are innate spirit. Ui, Ji, Sa, Ryeo and Ji are the rational thinking abilities as mental functions that develop actively after birth. This is called conscious spirit and acquired spirit. Analyzing the contents of , it can be said that the mental function is divided into four layers of primitive spirit-Baek-Hon-conscious spirit.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.250-258
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• 2009

Male reproductive function seems to have deteriorated considerably in the past 4 to 5 decades. It was observed a significant decline in mean sperm counts from $113{\times}10^6/ml$ in 1940 to $66{\times}10^6/ml$ in 1990; a fall of $0.94{\times}10^6/ml/year$. We reported that Yacon tuber extracts have spermatogenic effects in rat. In the present study, we tested the spermatogenic effect of Yacon tuber extracts in healthy male volunteers. Subjects were assigned randomly to the control group and the Yacon ethanol extracts administered group (each 12 subjects). And, placebo or Yacon tuber extracts (100 ml) were administered two times daily, by oral for 3 months. Sperm numbers, biochemical parameters and hormone levels were recorded before starting administration, then every month. The Yacon tuber extracts administered group showed significant time dependant increases in according to administration period. Especially, the numbers of sperm increased by 54% after 3 months of administration. And, in Yacon tuber extracts administered group, testosterone and estradiol level were significantly higher than placebo group. On the other hands, Yacon tuber extracts didn't show any toxicity in glucose and lipid metabolism and liver and kidney function. The results of the present study suggest that Yacon tuber extract is a possible therapeutic for the treatment of sperm deficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.55 no.1 s.91
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• pp.101-112
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• 2005

One of the curiosities harbored most by anthropologists may be why women are so different from men physically. One of such differences must be the breast. Female animals do not have such a swollen breast even when they nurse their young. We can find many Western garments highlighting the breast, but in Korea the tradition has been that the breast should not be highlighted. It was because the large breast was deemed useful that Western people appreciated it highly. In general, it is conceived that to ancient Westerners' eyes, the nursing function of the breast was very mysterious, because the food supplies were insufficient. Although the size of a breast does not affect its nursing function, Westerners may have thought that it did. To the contrary, in the societies with rich agricultural products, the breast was not much emphasized as the reproductive organs. Since people are more and more concerned about their body and the breast or one of the body parts characterizing the femininity is regarded as an important element of design, it may well be significant to research into the breast designs for development of the fashion design. With such basic conceptions in mind, this study was aimed at reviewing the artworks featuring women's breast and their historical background and thereupon, analyzing the aesthetic values of the breast-featuring designs by dividing them into four categories in large.