• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.443-451
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• 1997

These studies were conducted to determine the sex of preimplantation Hanwoo embryos produced in vitro using polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Y chromosome specific and bovine speicific DNA primers were synthesized and tested for embryo sexing. Bovine IVF embryos were produced in TCM 199 and CR1aa medium, and classified by developmental stages on Day 7 to 9. The effects of developmental rates to bovine IVF blastocysts on sex ratio were also investigated using PCR methods. The results obtained in this study were as follows; 1. Developmental rates to blastocyst from IVM/IVF embryos in TCM 199 and CR1aa medium for 9 days were 23.5 and 30.2%, respectively, and there was significant difference between the media(P<0.05). 2. Male to female ratio of early, mid, expanded and hatching balstocyst produced on Day 7 were 0.7:1, 1.4:1, 2.2:1, and 2.5:1, respectively, and male embryos was significantly higher proportion in expanding and hatching blastocysts(P<0.01). 3. On Day 8, male to female ratio of early, mid, expanded and hatching blastocysts were 0.6:1, 1:1, 2.5:1, and 2.7:1, respectively. Both expanded and hatching blastocysts obtained a significantly higher proportion of males(P<0.01). 4. The male : female ratio of early, mid, expanded and hatching blastocyst produced on Day 9 was 0.6:1, 0.8:1, 1:1, and 2.2:1, respectively. Hatching blastocysts had a significantly higher ratio of males(P<0.01). The developmental rate of IVM/IVF embryos to blastocyst for 9 day culture was higher in CR1aa than that in TCM 199 medium. For the sex ratio by developmental stages of IVF embryos, male ratio was higher in expanded blastocyst but female in early blastocysts.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2011

In this study, we examined the effectiveness of in vitro fertilization of porcine immature oocytes on the embryo development of blastocysts or hatched blastocysts and the number of cells according to the in vitro fertilization conditions. In the in vitro fertilization of in vitro matured porcine oocytes, there were no significant differences between treatment groups regarding fertilization rate, blastocyst rate, and embryo development of hatched blastocysts according to the storage periods of liquid sperm of 24, 48, and 72 hours. The embryo development rate of hatched blastocysts after the fertilization according to different spermatozoa concentrations ($0.4{\times}10^5$, $1.2{\times}10^5$, and $3.6{\times}10^5$ cells/ml) showed the highest rate in the group with a spermatozoa concentration of $1.2{\times}10^5$ cells/ml; in particular, this rate was significantly higher than that in the $0.4{\times}10^5$ cells/ml group (p<0.05). The total number of blastocysts cells as well as trophectoderms (TE) that developed in each treatment group were also significantly higher in the $1.2{\times}10^5$ cells/ml group than in any other groups (p<0.05). In contrast, the embryo development rate of blastocysts according to different co-incubation periods of sperm and oocyte (1, 3, and 6 hr) was high in the 6-hour group; in particular, the rate was significantly higher than that of the I-hour group (p<0.05). Furthermore, the total number of oocytes cells and TEs that developed was significantly higher in the 6-hour group than any other group (p<0.05). In this study, the most effective treatment conditions for porcine embryo development and high cell number were found to be as follows: a sperm storage period of less than 72 hours, a spermatozoa concentration of $1.2{\times}10^5$ cells/ml, and a 6-hour co-incubation period for sperm and ooocyte.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.94-100
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• 2015

Objective: The goal of this study was to ascertain optimal assisted hatching (AH) method in frozen embryo transfer. We compared the effect of depending on whether mechanical or laser-AH was performed before or after the vitrification of embryo development rate and blastocyst cell numbers. Methods: In order to induce superovulation, pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin followed by human chorionic gonadotropin were injected into 4- to 5-week-old female mice. 2-cell embryos were then collected by flushing out the oviducts. The Expanded blastocysts were recovered after the collected embryos were incubated for 48 hours, and were then subjected to artificial shrinkage (AS) and cross-mechanical AH (cMAH) or quarter-laser zona thinning-AH (qLZT-AH) were carried out using the expanded blastocysts before or after vitrification. After 48 hours of incubation, followed by vitrification and thawing (V-T), and blastocysts were fluorescence stained and observed. Results: The rate of formation of hatched blastocysts after 24 and 72 hours of incubation was significantly higher in the AS/qLZT-AH/V-T group than in the other groups (p<0.05). The cell number of the inner cell mass was higher in AS/V-T/non-AH and AS/V-T/cMAH groups than those of others (p<0.05). In the control group, the number of trophectoderm and the total cell number were higher than in the AS-AH group (p<0.05). Conclusion: The above results suggest that AS and AH in vitrification of expanded blastocysts lead to the more efficient formation of hatched blastocysts in mice.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.52-55
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• 2018

This study retrospectively assessed whether time-lapse data relating to developmental timing and morphology were associated with clinical outcomes, with the eventual goal of using morphokinetic variables to select embryos prospectively for cryopreservation. In this study, we examined the clinical outcomes of single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles that were cultured in a time-lapse incubation system. The morphokinetic variables included uneven pronuclei, an uneven blastomere, multinucleation, and direct, rapid, and irregular division. A total of 164 single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles were analyzed (102 cycles of regularly developed blastocysts and 62 cycles of blastocysts with morphokinetic variables). No significant differences in the age of females or the standard blastocyst morphology were found between these two groups. The regularly developed blastocysts showed significantly higher implantation and clinical pregnancy rates than the blastocysts exhibiting morphokinetic variables (30.4% vs. 9.7% and 37.3% vs. 14.5%, respectively; p< 0.01). The blastocysts that exhibited morphokinetic variables showed different mean development times compared with the regularly developed blastocysts. Although morphokinetic variables are known to have fatal impacts on embryonic development, a considerable number of embryos developed to the blastocyst stage. Morphokinetic variables had negative effects on the implantation and clinical pregnancy rates in vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles. These findings suggest that blastocysts cultured in a time-lapse incubation system should be considered for selective cryopreservation according to morphokinetic variables.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.151-158
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• 1996

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of equilibration time, sucrose concentration and age of embryo on survival and developmental rates of bovine IVF expanding blastocysts frozen-thawed by direct transfer method. The bovine oocytes were collected from 2~5mm follicles, matured for 20~24hrs in 5% $CO_2$incubator and then fertilized with frozen-thawed semen. Expanding blastocysts at day 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 after IVF were frozen in 1.8M ethylene glycol(EG). Survival and hatching rates of frozen-thawed IVF embryos were examined. The results were as follow ; Survival and hatching rate of TVF expanding blastocysts after 10, 20, 3Omin exposure in 1.8M EG were 100,0,90.9, 47.1, 85.0, 75.0 and 62.5% respectively. Survival rates of IVF expanding blastocysts frozen with 1.8M EG and various concentration(0, 0.25, 0.5, 1M) of sucrose were 73.3, 25. 0, 16.7, 9.1% respectively. Survival and hatching rates of IVF expanding blastocysts frozen-thawed according to age of embryo(Day 7, 8, 9,10, 11) were 86.1, 84.8, 79.3, 61.4, 51.3, 74.2, 76.9, 71.7, 63.0 and 65.0% respectively. In conclusion, the age of the embryo(Day 7, 8) is very important for the successful freezing of IVF bovine embryos and 1.8M ethylene glycol not containing sucrose may be effective cryoprotectant for direct transfer method.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.86-93
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• 2020

The establishment of porcine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) blastocysts is influenced by in vitro culture day of porcine reconstructed embryo and feeder cell type. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the optimal in vitro culture period for reconstructed porcine SCNT embryos and mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeder cell type for enhancing colony formation efficiency from the inner cell mass (ICM) of porcine SCNT blastocysts and their outgrowth. As the results, porcine SCNT blastocysts produced through in vitro culture of the reconstructed embryos for 8 days showed significantly increased efficiency in the formation of colonies, compared to those for 7 days. Moreover, MEF feeder cells derived from outbred ICR mice showed numerically the highest efficiency of colony formation in blastocysts produced through in vitro culture of porcine SCNT embryos for 8 days and porcine ESCs with typical ESC morphology were maintained more successfully over Passage 2 on outbred ICR mice-derived MEF feeder cells than on MEF feeder cells derived from inbred C57BL/6 and hybrid B6CBAF1 mice. Overall, the harmonization of porcine SCNT blastocysts produced through in vitro culture of the reconstructed embryos for 8 days and MEF feeder cells derived from outbred ICR mice will greatly contribute to the successful establishment of ESCs derived from porcine SCNT blastocysts.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.313-321
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• 1998

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of equilibration and dilution methods on the survival rate of vitrified IVM-IVF bovine blastocysts. Vitrification solution was composed with 20% glycerol, 20% ethylene glycol, 3/8 M sucrose and 3/8 M dextrose in D-PBS supplemented with 20% FBS (GESD). Embryos were equilibrated in 1 of 3 methods: 3-step (El), 2-step (E2), or 1-step (E3), and after loading into 0.25-ml straws, were plunged into liquid nitrogen. After warming in water bath at 2$0^{\circ}C$, cryoprotectants were diluted in 1 of 3 methods: 1) D1(VS+1/2 M sucrose, 1/2 M sucrose and l/4 M sucrose), 2) D2 (1/2 M sucrose and 1/4 M sucrose), or 3) D3(1/2 M sucrose only). All procedures except warming were conducted at room temperature. Survival and hatching rates of blastocysts and expanded blastocysts following equilibration methods were 50 and 83.6%, and 27.8 and 67.3%, respectively in El, which were significantly higher (P〈0.01) than those of E2 (16.7 and 23.2%, and 7.4 and 12.5%, respectively) and 23 (0 and 3.7%, and 0 and 0%, respectively). Survival and hatching rates of expanded blastocysts were significantly (P〈0.01) higher than those of blastocysts in El. Survival rates of blastocysts and expanded blastocysts following dilution methods were 52% and 80.6% in D2, which were significantly higher (P〈0.05) than those of D1 (29.6 and 48.3%) and D3 (47.2 and 63.8%). Hatching rates of blastocysts were similar in D1, D2 and D3, however in expanded blastocysts, that of D2(61.3%) was significantly higher (P〈0.01) than that of D1(34.5%). Survival rates of expanded blastocysts in D1 and D2, and hatching rates in D2 and D3 were significantly higher(P〈0.01) than those of blastocysts. These results indicate that the viability of vitrified blastocysts was improved by the several steps of equilibration, and by 2-steps dilution after warming, independently of their stage of development. The results also indicated that the expanded blastocysts are more profitable to vitrification than blastocysts.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2001

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the efficiency of a method for the cryopreservation of mouse blastocyst.. Methods: Mouse embryos were obtained at 2-cell stage and cultured to blastocyst stage in T6 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Morphologically normal blastocysts were collected and randomly divided to one control and four experimental groups. In control group, blastocysts were cultured in vitro continuously for additional two days. In group 2, blastocysts were exposed to vitrification solution (ethylene glycol) only without cryopreservation (exposure only group). In group 3, 4 and 5, blastocysts were cryopreserved by slow-freezing procedure with glycerol (slow-fteezing group) or by vitrification procedure using EM grids (EM grids group) and cryoloop (cryoloop group), respectively. Frozen blastocysts were thawed and cultured for additional two days. Twenty four hours after thawing, some blastocysts were fixed and stained with Hoechst 33342 (bisbenzimide) and the number of nuclei in each blastocysts were counted to confirm the survival of bias to cysts in experimental groups. Results: Survival rate and hatching rate of the blastocysts in slow-freezing group (24 h: 72.4% and 66.0%, 48 h: 63.2% and 64.6%) and EM grids group (24 h: survival rate 77.3%, 48 h: 70.1% and 71.4%) were significantly lower ($X^2$-test p<0.05) than those of control group (24 h: 93.4% and 86.0%, 48 h: 88.5% and 90.7%). In contrast, the survival rate and hatching rate of the blastocysts in cryoloop group (24 h: 84.1% and 84.1%,48 h 79.3% and 87.7%) is well compared with those in the control group. The mean (${\pm}SD$) cell number of blastocyst in the exposure only ($89.2{\pm}11.5$), EM grids ($85.0{\pm}10.3$) and cryoloop ($89.0{\pm}11.0$) groups, except slow-freezing group ($79.0{\pm}10.0$), were not significantly different from that of control group ($93.1{\pm}13.9$) 24 h after thawing (Student's t-test). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that higher survival rate of vitrified-thawed mouse blastocyst can be obtained using cryoloop as the embryo container at freezing rather than slow-freezing or vitrification using EM grids. The results of this study suggest that vitrification using cryoloop (with ethylene glycol) may be a preferable procedure for mouse blastocyst cryopreservation and could be applied to the human blastocyst cryopreservation.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.68-68
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• 2001

Blastocyst formation, consisting of the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE), is the first differentiation process during embryonic development in mammals. It has been hypothesized that the proportion of ICM to TE in the blastocyst may be crucial for subsequent developmental competence of early embryos, which it may be expressed as a sensitive indicator for evaluating in vitro systems. In this study ICM/total cell ratio of nuclear transfer (NT) embryos was compared with IVF-derived and in vivo embryos. Somatic cell nuclei obtained from a fetus at Day 40 of gestation were transferred into the enucleated oocyte and then cultured in NCSU 23 medium for 6 days as previously described (Koo et al., Biol. Reprod. 2000; 63:986-992). ICM and TE cells of blastocysts were determined by using a differential staining method (Han et al., Biol. Reprod. 1999; 60:1110-1113). Development rate (9.8$\pm$2.5%, 23/225) to the blastocyst stage of NT embryos was lower than IVF embryos (23.8$\pm$2.7%, 53/223). Thus, a difference was detected in the in vitro developmental rate to blastocyst stage between NT and IVF-derived embryos (P<0.05). In the next experiment, we investigated ICM and TE nuclei to assess the quality of blastocysts that produced by NT, IVF and in vivo, respectively. NT blastocysts (27.6$\pm$8.3) showed a smaller total cell number than IVF-derived (42.6$\pm$17.4) and in vivo embryos (283.9$\pm$103.5) (P<0.05). Ratios of ICM/total cells in NT, IVF and in vivo blastocysts were 15.1$\pm$ 18.6% (n=56), 12.3$\pm$9.2% (n=57) and 30.4$\pm$6.8% (n=40), respectively. Individual blastocysts for the ratio of ICM/total cells were assigned to 3 groups (I; <20%, II; 20 to 40% and III;>40%). As the results, most in vivo blastocysts (97.5%, 39/40) were distributed into group II while most NT (78.6%, 44/56) and IVF-derived blastocysts (82.5%, 47/57) were allocated to group I. Thus, our data show that NT or IVF-derived embryos have aberrant morphology during early development in vitro systems, suggesting that these anomalies may result in developmental failures of the NT embryos to term.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.153-156
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• 1988

Bovine blastocysts were obtained by in-vitro culture of embryos derived from in-vitro fertilization of oocytes matured in-vitro. These blastocysts and blastocysts from inseminated donors were bisected by a simple method (without a holding pipette) using a microblade operated by a micromanipulator. A pair of demi-embryos was transferred nonsurgically into each uterine horn of a recipient cow 6 or 8 days after estrus. Pregnancy resulted from the third transfer. Ultrasound examination done 52 days after estrus (46 days after transfer) confirmed the presence of at least one fetus in the each uterine horn. This is the first report to show the viability of bisected bovine blastocysts obtained from in-vitro culture of embryos derived from in-vitro fertilization of oocytes matured in-vitro. In addition, a simple method to bisect bovine embryos is described.