• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.143-153
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• 2023

Objective: Men's sexual health plays an important role in male fertility and childbearing, as it is associated with factors such as sexual desire, healthy spermatogenesis, and erectile function. In various cultures, medicinal plants have been utilized to address male sexual issues, including infertility and erectile dysfunction. Despite recent advancements in medical science for treating male impotence, some men opt for herbal supplements as an alternative, given that numerous herbs have the potential to enhance male sexual performance. The Apiaceae family is one of the oldest plant families used for medicinal purposes. Ferula, a genus within this family, comprises approximately 170 different species worldwide. Members of this genus possess numerous therapeutic properties due to the presence of various compounds. This article aims to explore the potential impacts of Ferula plants on the male reproductive system. Methods: This review article was prepared by searching for terms including Ferula and "aphrodisiac," Ferula and "spermatogenesis," and Ferula and "male reproductive system." Relevant information was gathered through electronic databases, including ISI Web of Knowledge, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Results: The findings indicated that relatively comprehensive studies have been conducted in this area, revealing that certain Ferula species have been employed in folk medicine to boost fertility and libido. Recent research has corroborated these effects. Conclusion: It is hoped that new aphrodisiac compounds with fewer side effects can be isolated from Ferula plants in the future.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.171-178
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• 2006

목 적: 인간 배아줄기세포는 재생 의학이나 조직공학에 있어서 큰 잠재적인 능력을 가지고 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. 이들은 다양한 growth factors 처리나 유전자 발현을 변화시켜 특정 세포로 유도 분화 및 분리가 가능하지만 그 효율성은 아직까지 낮은 상태이다. 본 연구에서는 인간 배아줄기세포로부터 비특이적으로 분화된 세포들을 특정 세포 표면 항체를 이용한 magnetic cell sorting (MACS) 방법으로 분리, 배양하여 그들의 특성을 살펴보았다. 연구방법: 미분화 배아줄기세포주(Miz-hESC4)를 물리적인 방법으로 계대 배양하였으며, 부유 배양법으로 배아체 형성을 유도하였다. 배아체의 자발적인 분화를 위해 DMEM에 10% FBS를 첨가하여 2주 동안 배양하였다. 이렇게 분화된 세포들을 CD34, human epithelial antigen (HEA), human fibroblast (HFB)에 대한 항체를 이용한 MACS system으로 각각의 항체에 대한 양성 또는 음성 세포를 분리하였다. 이러한 MACS 분리 세포를 4주 동안 배양하면서 형태적인 변화를 관찰하고 특이 유전자의 발현 양상을 분석하였다. 결 과: 분리 배양한 CD34 양성 세포들은 배양 초기에는 둥근 형태를 나타내다가 배양 후기에는 작은 다각형의 형태로 관찰되었으며, HEA 양성 세포들은 큰 다각형의 형태를 나타내었고, HFB 양성 세포들은 전형적인 방추체 형태로 관찰되었다. 특이 유전자에 대한 RT-PCR 결과에서, CD34 양성 세포들과 HFB양성 세포들에서는 내배엽과 중배엽 관련 유전자의 발현하는 것을 확인할 수 있었고, HEA 양성 세포들에서는 외배엽 관련 유전자인 NESTIN과 NF68KD의 발현을 관찰할 수 있었다. 배양기간이 경과함에 따라 CD34 양성 세포의 특이 유전자 발현 양상이 변화되었다. 결 론: 이상의 결과는 비특이적으로 분화된 인간 배아줄기세포로부터 특이 세포를 MACS 방법을 이용하여 성공적으로 분리할 수 있음을 보여주었다. 따라서, MACS 방법과 특이 세포에 대한 항체는 인간 배아줄기세포의 유도 분화와 특이 세포의 분리에 매우 유용할 것으로 생각된다.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2001

골든 햄스터의 생식활동은 광주기(하루 중 조명 시간)에 의해 결정된다. 광주기는 일년 동안 예측할 수 있는 환경요인이다. 주간 길이가 야간 길이보다 긴 여름에 햄스터의 생식 활동은 왕성하다. 생식 기능을 유지시키는 조명 시간은 하루에 적어도 12.5시간이다. 송과선을 제거시키면 광주기의 정보가 억제되기 때문에, 광주기의 정보는 송과선을 통하여 중재된다. 송과선을 제거 당한 핼스터는 생식 활동이 유지되고, 생식소 기능을 억제하는 상황에서도 생식 기능을 촉진시킨다. 송과선은 멜라토닌을 분비하고 멜라토닌은 광주기 정보를 반영 한다. 멜라토닌을 적절히 투입하면 송과선과 무관하게 생식소 퇴화가 유도된다. 생식체계를 기능적으로 통합하는 신경내분비 신호로 환경 정보가 전환하는 기전을 멜라토닌이 조절함을 시사한다. 광범위한 연구에도 불구하고, 멜라토닌의 작용부위는 알려지지 않았다. 이는 멜라토닌이 생식 호르몬의 분비에 미치는 즉각적인 효과가 없기 때문이다. 그러나, 성적으로 퇴화된 동물들은 생식 호르몬 수준이 낮고 시상하부 내 GnRH 양이 증가한다. 광주기 혹은 멜라토닌 처리가 생식 기능을 억제하는 효과는 GnRH 신경계에 의해 중재됨을 의미한다. 멜라토닌이 GnRH 신경에 미치는 작용 기전이 조사되어야 한다. 멜라토닌 수용체가 클로닝되어, 목적 조직에 미치는 멜라토닌의 작용 기전과 해부학적 위치를 통하여 멜라토닌의 다양하고 잠재적인 능력을 분자수준에서 연구하는데 공헌할 것이다.

• 환경생물
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.224-231
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• 2002

광주기(하루 중 빛의 길이)는 골든 햄스터의 생식을 조절하는 주된 요인이다. 광주기 정보는 멜라토닌을 통하여 생식 내분비계로 전달된다. 따라서 멜라토닌이 생식에 미치는 효과를 여러 광주기에 노출시킨 햄스터에서 조사하였다. 단주기(하루 중 12시간 이하의 조명)에 노출시킨 동물들과 저녁에 멜라토닌을 주사한 동물들의 정소 무게는 현저하게 줄어들었으나, 장주기 (하루 중 12.5시간 이상의 조명)에 유지된 동물과 오전에 멜라토닌을 투여한 동물들의 정소 무게는 줄어들지 않았다. 퇴화된 정소를 조직학적으로 조사한 결과, 세정관 직경이 감소되었고, 세정관내 세포수가 두드러지게 줄어들었다. 또한 생식 능력이 퇴화된 동물의 혈중 여포자극호르몬과 황체호르몬의 수준도 생식 능력을 보유하고 있는 동물에 비해 뚜렷하게 감소하였다. 멜라토닌 수용체가 역전사 polymerase chain reaction으로 동정되었고 조직특이성 또한 조사하였다. 동정된 멜라토닌 수용체는 309염기였으며, 시상하부와 뇌하수체를 포함하는 다양한 장기에서 발현되었다. 생식을 조절하는 핵심 물질인 gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) 유전자의 발현 또한 동정되었다. 그러나 멜라토닌 처리와 광주기 처리는 GnRH유전자 발현에 영향을 미치지 않았다. 종합하면, 광주기의 효과는 멜리토닌을 경유하여 발휘되며, 멜라토닌은 GnRH유전자의 발현보다는, 생성된 GnRH의 분비에 영향을 미쳐 생식내분비계에 간접적으로 작용함을 알 수 있었다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.80-85
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• 2014

Objective: To investigate: the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Korean women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and the relationship between vitamin D status and clinical or metabolic features in this group. Methods: We recruited 38 women with PCOS using the Rotterdam criteria. A total of 109 premenopausal control women were matched with patients based on age and body mass index. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentrations less than 20 ng/mL were classified as frank vitamin D deficiency. Since vitamin D may play a significant role in metabolic disturbances in women with PCOS, correlations between clinical or metabolic parameters and vitamin D status were analyzed separately in patients and controls. Results: Women with PCOS showed no differences in the level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D ($19.6{\pm}6.6ng/mL$ in patients vs. $20.1{\pm}7.4ng/mL$ in controls, respectively, p=0.696) or prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (57.9% in patients vs. 56.5% in controls, respectively, p=0.880). In addition, we did not find any correlations between serum vitamin D level and clinical or metabolic profiles in either PCOS patients or controls. Conclusion: Our study found no differences in the absolute level of serum vitamin D between PCOS patients and matched controls. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was equally common among both patients and controls. Additionally, we did not find any correlations between serum vitamin D level and clinical or metabolic profiles, suggesting that the role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of PCOS is not yet clear.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.11-17
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• 2015

This study investigated possible involvement of photoperiodic regulation in reproductive endocrine system of female olive flounder. To investigate the influence on brain-pituitary axis in endocrine system by regulating photoperiod, compared expression level of Kisspeptin and sbGnRH mRNA in brain and FSH-${\beta}$, LH-${\beta}$ and GH mRNA in pituitary before and after spawning. Photoperiod was treated natural photoperiod and long photoperiod (15L:9D) conditions from Aug. 2013 to Jun. 2014. Continuous long photoperiod treatment from Aug. (post-spawning phase) was inhibited gonadal development of female olive flounder. In natural photoperiod group, the Kiss2 expression level a significant declined in Mar. (spawning period). And also, FSH-${\beta}$, LH-${\beta}$ and GH mRNA expression levels were increasing at this period. However, in long photoperiod group, hypothalamic Kiss2, FSH-${\beta}$, LH-${\beta}$ and GH mRNA expression levels did not show any significant fluctuation. These results suggest that expression of hypothalamic Kiss2, GtH and GH in the pituitary would change in response to photoperiod and their possible involvement of photoperiodic regulation in reproductive endocrine system of the BPG axis.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.193-203
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• 1998

The toxicity of DA-125. a new anthracycline anticancer agent, on the male reproductive system was studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. Forty male rats were rando$m\ell$y assigned to Jour groups with ten rats in each group and given single intraveneous doses of DA-125 at dose levels of 0. 12.5. 25. and 50 mg/kg body weight. On day 56 after treatment the animals were allowed to mate. and their male reproductive Junctions and organs were examined in detail. Copulated females were sacrificed on day 20 of gestation for examination of embryo-fetal development. One out of ten rats in the 50 mg/kg group died on day 12 after treatment. Clinical signs such as emaciation. sedation, anorexia. swelling. dark material around eye. alopecia. and diarrhea were observed in the 25 and/or 50 mg/kg groups. Reduction in the body weight gain. decrease in the absolute weights of testes. epididymis and seminal vesicles. and/or decrease in the number of testicular sperm heads were also found. Although histopathological changes such as atrophy of seminiferous tubules. loss or decrease of spermatogenic cells. exfoliation of spermatogenic cells. vacuolization of Sertoli cells. decrease of sperm. and/or increase of necrotic spermatogenic cells in epididymal ducts were observed. no adverse effects on the motility and morphology of epididymal sperm. copulation index. fertility index. and embryo-fetal development were detected in the 25 and 50 mg/kg groups. There were no evidences of male reproductive toxicity in the 12.5 mg/kg group. These results show that single intravenouse doses of DA-125 produce significant dose-related testicular atrophy. histopathological changes. and oligozoospermia in rats and $LD_{10}$ for DA-125 appears to be 50 mg/kg body weight.

• 한국발생생물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국발생생물학회 2003년도 제3회 국제심포지움 및 학술대회
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• pp.60-60
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• 2003

Embryonic stem (ES) cells have property of self-renewal and can differentiate into the cells of all three primary germ layers. Recently, many growth factors, alteration of culture condition and gene modifications have been used to differentiate mouse and human ES cells into specific cell types. This study was performed to evaluate the differentiation protocol for human ES cells to the endodermal lineage cells. Human ES cells (Miz-hESl ) were cultured on STO feeder layer mitotically inactivated with mitemycin C, and embryoid bodies (EBs) were formed by suspension culture. Differentiation protocol of EBs consisted of three steps: stage I, culture of EBs for 6 days with ITSFn medium; stage II, culture of stage I cells for 8 days with N2 medium ; stage III, culture of stage II cells for 22 days with N2 medium. mRNA levels of the endodermal lineage differentiation genes were analyzed by semi- quantitative RT-PCR. The Oct-4 expression, a marker of the pluripotent state, was detected in undifferentiated human ES cells but progressively decreased after EBs formation. Differentiating human ES cells expressed marker genes of endodermal differentiation and pancreatic islet cells. GATA4, a-fetoprotein, Glut-2, and Ngn3 were expressed in all stages. However, albumin and insulin were expressed in only stage III cells. The human ES cells can be differentiated into endodermal lineage cells by multiple step culture system using various supplements. We are developing the more effective protocols for guided differentiation of human ES cells.

• ALGAE
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.21-32
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• 2011

Studies of the red algal genus Bostrychia over the last 15 years have made it a model system for many evolutionary processes within red algal species. The combination of newly developed, or first employed methods, in red algal species studies has made Bostrychia a pioneer genus in intraspecific studies. Bostrychia was the first genus in which a mitochondrial marker was used for intraspecific red algal phylogeny, and the first for which a 3-genome phylogeny was undertaken. The genus was the first red alga used to genetically show maternal plastid and mitochondria inheritance, and also to show correlation between cryptic species (genetically divergent intraspecific lineages) and reproductive incompatibility. The chemotaxonomic use, and physiological function of osmolytes, has also been extensively studied in Bostrychia. Our continuous studies of Bostrychia also highlight important aspects in algal species studies. Our worldwide sampling, and resampling in certain areas, show that intensive sampling is needed to accurately assess the genetic diversity and therefore phylogeographic history of algal species, with increased sampling altering evolutionary hypotheses. Our studies have also shown that long-term morphological character stability (stasis) and character convergence can only be correctly assessed with wide geographic sampling of morphological species. While reproductive incompatibility of divergent lineages supports the biological species nature of these lineages, reproductive incompatibility is also seen between isolates with little genetic divergence. It seems that reproductive incompatibility may evolve quickly in red algae and the unique early stages of fertilization (e.g., gametes covered by walls, active movement of spermatium nuclei to the distant egg nucleus), also well investigated in Bostrychia,. may be key to our understanding of this process.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.67-71
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• 2006

A total of 120 male and 240 female quail (Coturnix coturnix Pharaoh) were used to determine the effect of feeding time on laying and reproductive performance of Pharaoh quail. They were fed ad libitum between 09:00 to 17:00 or full day, daily. Each female-male pair was housed in multiple-bird cages and colony cages. Initial and final body weight, quail-day egg production, feed consumption per egg and mortality were measured to determine laying performance of breeders. A total of 960 eggs were used to determine reproductive performance of quail in each treatment group. Eggs were incubated in a commercial setter and hatcher in standard conditions. Embryonic mortality, apparent fertility, hatchability of total and fertile eggs were calculated to determine the reproductive performance. Results indicated that feeding between 09:00 to 17:00 h reduced final body weight and egg production (p<0.001, p<0.001). Whereas, limited time of feeding improved hatchability of total (p<0.001) and fertile eggs (p<0.001) and reduced embryonic mortality (p<0.001) when compared with the effects of feeding full day. It was found that there were no significant differences for the egg production of quail housed in different cage systems. Quail caged in multiple-bird cages consumed less feed (p<0.01) compared to quail housed in colony cages. There were significant differences for the mortality (p<0.05), hatchability of total (p<0.001) and fertile eggs (p<0.001), and embryonic mortality (p<0.001) during the incubation due to main effect of cage systems. There were significant cage $systems{\times}feeding$ time interactions for hatchability of total and fertile eggs and embryonic mortality (p<0.001). As a conclusion; feeding from 09:00 to 17:00 reduced laying performance of quail and improved the reproductive traits compared to full day feeding of quail breeders. But, further investigations are needed to determine the optimum length of feeding time and egg production of breeders in quail fed limited time must be evaluated in comparison with its beneficial or detrimental effects.