• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.301-309
• /
• 1997

The objective of this study was to determine the microtubule assembly and chromatin configuration during the first cell cycle in bovine oocytes following injection of spermatozoon, sperm head and tail. The microtubule and chromatin configuration was imaged with fluorescent labeled monoclonal ${\alpha}$-tubulin antibody and propidium iodide under laser scanning confocal microscope. Microtubule and chromatin dynamics in bovine oocytes following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were not different from those observed during in vitro fertilization (IVF). Following ICSI, the microtubular aster was observed around sperm midpiece. During pronuclear formation, the sperm aster was enlarged and seen around male and female pronuclei. At mitotic metaphase, the microtubular spindle assemble astral poles and chromosomes were aligned on the spindle equator. At mitosis, asters were concentrated to each spindle pole and they filled the cytoplasm. After injection of the isolated sperm head, the microtubular aster was not seen around sperm head in any cases (0/18). Instead, microtubules were organized from the cytoplasm, which filled the whole cytoplasm during pronuclear apposition. These microtubules seem to move male and female pronuclei. These results suggest that isolated sperm head can develop into normal pronucleus in mature bovine oocytes, and competent to participate syngamy with the ootid chromatin. The functional microtubules following isolated sperm head injection in bovine oocytes appeared to be organized solely from maternal stores.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.56 no.5
• /
• pp.644-650
• /
• 2023

We examined the effects of serotonin on the spawning response, sperm motility, and D-shaped larva production in Eastern Gooeyduck clam Panopea sp. based on the sperm densities at fertilization and washing after mixing the eggs and sperm. The highest spawning induction was found showed in females and males injected with 1 mL of 2 mM serotonin. The spawning responses in females and males were higher at concentrations greater than 1 mM and 0.75 mM, respectively. Regarding the activities of sperm in sea water after serotonin injection, the sperm showed activity at >90.0% until 120 mins. We also examined the effects of sperm concentration at the fertilization and washing times after mixing the eggs and sperm. We confirmed that washing within 1 minute at a concentration of 1,500 sperms/mL or less can prevent egg destruction by polyspermy and secure a large number of D-phase larvae. These results should be useful for developing the aquaculture process for Eastern Gooeyduck clam, Panopea sp.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.399-405
• /
• 1999

Objective: In the preparation of ICSI, cumulus and corona cells should be removed from the oocytes by using a combination of enzymatic (hyaluronidase) and mechanical (pipetting) methods. But little is known about the effects of different degrees of oocyte denudation and incubation time between denudation and sperm injection on the outcomes of ICSI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of varying the degrees of oocyte denudation and the lengths of incubation time from denudation to sperm injection on the outcomes of ICSI. Methods: In experiment 1, patients (oocytes) were grouped into group A and B according to the degree of denudation, complete and partial, respectively. In experiment 2, patients (oocytes) were grouped into group I, II and III according to the length of incubation time of denuded oocytes until sperm injection as < 1, $1{\sim}2$ and >2 hours, respectively. Results: There was no significant difference between the degree of oocyte denudation on the survival, fertilization and development rates after ICSI procedure. In case of the incubation time of denuded oocytes until ICSI, survival rates was higher in group III (83.1 %) than in group I (61.5%, p<0.05) or group II (64.3%). However no statistically significant differences were found between incubation time and fertilization or development rates. Conclusions: This study reveals that the outcomes of ICSI are not affected by the degree (complete or partial) of oocyte denudation. However, the denuded oocytes with incubation period of more than 2 hours show better outcomes of ICSI than those with the incubation period of less than 2 hours.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.119-126
• /
• 2003

Objective: This study was carried out to compare the clinical outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in patients with obstructive azoospermia according to sperm retrieval site and technique; microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA), percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA), testicular sperm extraction by open biopsy (TESE). Methods: The outcomes of ICSI and IVF-ET were evaluated and compared among 3 groups. Seventy three men suffering from infertility due to obstructive azoospermia had 107 ICSI cycles using MESA (21 cycles in 15 patients), PESA (26 cycles in 17 patients) and TESE (60 cycles in 41 patients). Results: In the clinical outcomes in patients undergoing ICSI with epididymal or testicular sperm, there were no significant differences in fertilization rate (66.1% vs. 60.5%), cleavage rate (94.9% vs. 97.6%), cumulative embryo score (CES) (51.3 vs. 58.8), implantation rate (7.9% vs. 6.1), and clinical pregnancy rate per ET (30.4% (14/46) vs. 25.4% (15/59)) between both groups. Also, in the clinical outcomes in ICSI patients using MESA, PESA, TESE, there were no significant differences in fertilization rate (61.8%, 69.4%, 60.5%), cleavage rate (92.1%, 97.3%, 97.6%), CES (38.1, 52.0, 58.8), implantation rate (9.5%, 6.6%, 6.1%), and clinical pregnancy rate per ET (35% (7/20), 26.9% (7/26), 25.4% (15/59)) among 3 groups. Conclusion: When compared with MESA or TESE, PESA, the clinical outcomes were similar in ICSI patients with obstructive azoospermia whatever the origin or the technique of sperm retrieval. However, we considered PESA is more time-saving and cost effective for ICSI in patients with obstructive azoospermia.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.45-53
• /
• 2002

The main goal of this study was to produce transgenic porcine embryos by direct injection of sperm-mediated exogenous DNA. Spermatozoa (6$\times$10$^{6}$ sperms of final concentration) were mixed with pcDNA LAC Z (20 ng/$\mu$l) and subjected into electroporation (300~750 volts, 25 $\mu$F, 0.4 cm electrode). After sperm injection, the oocytes were activated electrically (1.7 KV/cm, 30$\mu$sec, single pulse) in 0.3 M mannitol solution or not. The sperm injected eggs were cultured in NCSU 23 medium (0.4% BSA) at 39$^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ in air fur 144 h. The rates of cleavage and development into blastocyst stage in activation group were significantly higher than those of non-activation group (79.6% and 24.1% vs. 46.3% and 14.4%, respectively, p<0.05). Control oocytes and shame injection were developed to blastocysts low (2.5%). Sixty five (27.1%) out of 240 embryos observed in activation and non-activation groups were showed positive by X-gal staining. However, all embryos in both groups were expressed partial or mosaic pattern. These results suggested that electrical stimulation far oocytes activation after sperm injection enhances the incidence of both fertilization and development fellowing sperm injection in the pig. Our study also suggested that sperm-mediated transfer of exogenous DNA by ICSI would be used as a valuable tool for the production of transgenic porcine embryos.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.353-360
• /
• 2002

Although successful pronuclear formation and apposition were seen in porcine oocytes following mouse sperm injection, little is known on the morphology of male and female pronuclei following sperm injection. The objective of this study is to describe the ultrastructure of porcine zygote following murine sperm injection in relation to the chronology of pronuclear S phase. At 40h ~ 44h following in vitro maturation, Cumulus cells were removed in TCM-HEPES with 0.1% hyaluronidase. Then, spermatozoa was injected into the cytoplasm of oocytes. After. injection, all oocytes were transferred to NCSU23 medium and cultured at 39$^{\circ}C$ under 5% $CO_2$ in air. Oocytes were fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde in Dulbeccos phosphate-buffered saline and observed by Transmission Electron Microscopy. Nuclear precursor bodies were observed in each pronucleus. A cluster of large and small granules was attached in the nucleolus precursor body. After the apposition of male and female chromatin, chromatin condensation was observed throughout the nucleoplasm and nucleolus precursor bodies and condensed chromatin in contact with clusters of small and large granules and the nuclear envelope were found in apposed pronuclear regions. These results suggest that non-species specific nuclear cytoplasmic interactions take place during pronuclear formation and apposition following sperm injection.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.13-21
• /
• 2002

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) has been widely used fur both human infertility and basic research. However, the high incidence of chromosomal abnormality is severe problem in cattle. Various oocyte activation stimuli, therefore, were compared by assessment of developmental capacity and chromosome analysis. Motile sperm selected by Percoll-density gradient were treated with 5 mM dithiothreitol (DTT) and injected into an oocyte matured fur 24 h. Eggs were then allocated into 5 treatment groups. Group 1 (control), sperm injection was performed without any further activation stimuli to the oocytes. Group 2 (handled control), sham injection was performed without sperm. In Group 3, oocytes exposed to 5 (M ionomycin for 5 min at 39(C. Group 4. ionomycine + 1.9 mM demethylaminopurine (DMAP, 3 h) and Group 5, ionomycine + 3 h culture in Ml99 + DMAP. Cleavage and the later development rate in Groups 1, 2 and 3 were significantly (P<0.05) lower than those in Groups 4 and 5. The incidence of chromosomal abnormality in the embryos treated directly with DMAP after ionomycine was relatively higher than in the embryo of Group 3 h, delayed DMAP treatment. From this results DMAP caused to be arrested the release of the 2nd polar body, resulting in changes of chromosomal pattern. Therefore, the time interval between ionomycin and DMAP is a crucial role in bovine ICSI.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.45-50
• /
• 2015

Objective: Artificial oocyte activation (AOA) is an effective method to avoid total fertilization failure in human in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles. AOA performed using a calcium ionophore can induce calcium oscillation in oocytes and initiate the fertilization process. We evaluated the usefulness of AOA with a calcium ionophore in cases of total fertilization failure in previous cycles and in cases of severe male factor infertility patients with non-motile spermatozoa after pentoxifylline (PF) treatment. Methods: The present study describes 29 intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)-AOA cycles involving male factor infertility at Cheil General Hospital from January 2006 to June 2013. Patients were divided into two groups (control, n=480; AOA, n=29) depending on whether or not AOA using a calcium ionophore (A23187) was performed after testicular sperm extraction-ICSI (TESE-ICSI). The AOA group was further split into subgroups according to sperm motility after PF treatment: i.e., motile sperm-injected (n=12) and non-motile sperm-injected (n=17) groups (total n=29 cycles). Results: The good embryo rate (52.3% vs. 66.9%), pregnancy rate (20.7% vs. 52.1%), and delivery rate (10.3% vs. 40.8%) were lower in the PF/AOA group than in the control group. When evaluating the effects of restoration of sperm motility after PF treatment on clinical outcomes there was no difference in fertilization rate (66.6% vs. 64.7% in non-motile and motile sperm, respectively), pregnancy rate (17.6% vs. 33.3%), or delivery rate (5.9% vs. 16.7%) between the two groups. Conclusion: We suggest that oocyte activation is a useful method to ensure fertilization in TESE-ICSI cycles regardless of restoration of sperm motility after PF treatment. AOA may be useful in selected patients who have a low fertilization rate or total fertilization failure.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2001.06a
• /
• pp.63.1-63.1
• /
• 2001

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.185-195
• /
• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) on the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles in couples with unexplained infertility. Methods: We conducted a prospective study of 145 couples who underwent ICSI cycles for unexplained infertility. Based on the SDF rate, patients were categorized into a low SDF group (SDF ≤30%, n=97) and a high SDF group (SDF >30%, n=48). SDF was assessed using the acridine orange test on density gradient centrifugation prepared samples. The CLBR was calculated as the first live birth event per woman per egg collection over 2 years. Results: The high SDF group (SDF >30%) showed a significantly lower CLBR (p<0.05) and a significantly higher miscarriage rate (p<0.05) than the low SDF group (SDF ≤30%). No significant difference was observed in the implantation and cumulative pregnancy rates between the two SDF groups. The total number of embryo transfers was stratified further into fresh and frozen embryo transfers. In the fresh embryo transfers, there were significant differences in the implantation rates, clinical pregnancy rates, and live birth rates (p<0.05) between the low SDF and high SDF groups. However, in the frozen embryo transfers, there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the two groups. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, SDF was a predictor of CLBR (p<0.05) when adjusted for possible confounding factors. Conclusion: High SDF was associated with a lower CLBR and a higher miscarriage rate in the ICSI cycles of couples with unexplained infertility.