• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.494-498
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• 2008

MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) reduction assay is a method that validates the viability of an active cell. Dehydrogenase in mitochondria converts yellow colored insoluble tetrazolium salt to purple colored water-soluble formazan. Sperm also have mitochondria in the midpiece, therefore sperm viability could be evaluated by MTT reduction assay. Several studies have already demonstrated the capability of application of the MTT reduction assay to sperm of several species in Hepes-BSA buffer. Because most liquid semen was diluted in extender like BTS (Beltsville Thawing Solution), Modena or Androhep when it is used or transferred, semen needed another dilution in Hepes-BSA buffer to assess sperm viability. In this study, we evaluated boar sperm viability especially in BTS extended semen and compared the efficiency of this test with eosin-nigrosin staining. We used the fresh BTS extended semen from a local A.I center. Semen sample was diluted to $3.0{\times}10^7$ sperms/ml in BTS. The rates of formazan production were measured in 96-well microtiter plates immediately and 1h after incubation at $17^{\circ}C$ using a spectrophotometer at wave length 560 nm. Simultaneously, split samples of the same semen were tested, using eosin-nigrosin staining to compare the efficiency of the MTT assay of sperm viability in BTS. The correlation between the results of these tests was calculated using Student-t test and ANOVA. The results revealed a strong correlation between the results of MTT reduction rate and the results that were simultaneously determined by eosin-nigrosin staining at 1 h. In conclusion, the MTT reduction test was an effective and simple method to validate sperm viability and it could be used as a simple tool to evaluate sperm viability in the local A.I center and laboratory.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.842-850
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• 2018

Objective: Several studies have reported the development of new molecular methods for the prognosis and diagnosis of male fertility based on biomarkers aimed at overcoming the limitations of conventional male fertility analysis tools. However, further studies are needed for the field application of these methods. Therefore, alternative methods based on existing semen analysis methods are required to improve production efficiency in the animal industry. Methods: we examined the possibility of improving litter size in various pig breeds using combined Hoechst 33258/chlortetracycline fluorescence (H33258/CTC) staining. The correlation between field fertility and capacitation status by combined H33258/CTC staining in different ejaculates spermatozoa (n = 3) from an individual boar (20 Landrace, 20 Yorkshire, and 20 Duroc) was evaluated as well as overall accuracy. Results: The acrosome reacted (AR) pattern after capacitation (%) was positively correlated with the litter size of Landrace, Yorkshire, and Duroc pigs and the overall accuracy was 75%, 75%, and 70% in Landrace, Yorkshire, and Duroc pigs, respectively. The difference (${\Delta}$) in AR pattern before and after capacitation was positively correlated with the litter size of Landrace, Yorkshire, and Duroc pigs and the overall accuracy was 80%, 65%, and 55% in Landrace, Yorkshire, and Duroc pigs, respectively. However, the difference (${\Delta}$) in capacitated (B) pattern before and after capacitation was negatively correlated with the litter size of Landrace pigs and the overall accuracy was 75%. Moreover, average litter size was significantly altered according to different combined H33258/CTC staining parameters. Conclusion: These results show that combined H33258/CTC staining may be used to predict male fertility in various breeds. However, the selection of specific efficiency combined H33258/CTC staining parameters requires further consideration. Taken together, these findings suggest that combined H33258/CTC staining may constitute an alternative method for predicting male fertility until such time as fertility-related biomarkers are further validated.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.155-159
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• 2020

This study was conducted to investigate the infection of livestock diseases using 500 blood samples from wild boars captured in six cities and one county in northern Gyeonggi province, South Korea. We examined 239 cases of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), and each of 500 cases of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MH), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP), Pasteurella multocida type A (PMA), Hemophilus parasuis (HP), Salmonella (Sal.) spp. infections. Antibodies were detected against CSFV (23.4%), PRRSV (4.0%), PCV2 (60.4%), MH (3.0%), APP (69.2%), PMA (52.8%), HP (11.8%), and Sal. spp. infections (37.2%). No antibodies were detected against FMDV. As a result of antigenic analysis of 68 positive cases (13.6%) out of 500 PRRS antigen tests, 61 North American cases, 6 European cases, 1 North American-European complex case. PCV2 has 158 positive cases (31.6%) out of 500 antigen tests, and the results indicate that a considerable number of individuals are infected. To our knowledge, this is the first seroprevalence report of MH, APP, PMA, HP, and Sal. spp. infections in wild boars in South Korea.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2007

This study was conducted to examine the effect of several saccharides on the induction of capacitation and acrosome reaction (AR) and to examine the effects of mono and polysaccharides on the penetration activity of boar spermatozoa. Spermatozoa were inseminated in medium with fucose, galactose and mannose as monosaccharide, and fucoicIan. galactan and marman as polysaccharide. The penetration rates were significantly (p<0.05) lower in medium with galactose (40.6%), mannose (38.1%), fucose (41.6%) and fucoidan (36.6%) compared with control (56.7%). The rates of AR were increased (40.7 to 59.8%) by the preincubation periods prolonged from 0 to 4 hr (p<0.05). Similar tendencies were observed in AR when spermatozoa were treated with monosaccharides, but not significantly differ among the groups treated with different time of preincubation with some exception of galactose. When spermatozoa were treated with polysaccharides, the rates of AR were significantly (p<0.05) increased by preincubation time prolonged from 0 to 4 hr with an exception of fucoidan. In conclusion, the present study suggests that penetration rate of spermatozoa is higher in presence of polysaccharides than monosaccharides. Also, it may resume that the comparing to control, the all saccharides (L-fucose, D-galactose, D-mannose, fucoidan. galactan and mannan)-treated groups slightly increase the AR pattern as preincubation time prolonged.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 1999

본 연구는 돼지 정액의 동결과정동안 flow cytometric 분석에 의한 정액내 생존정자의 비율을 조사하여 주관적으로 평가되는 활력 및 정상첨체율(normal apical ridge ; NAR)과 비교하여 정자의 손상과 생존성에 대한 적절한 평가법을 찾기 위하여 실시하였다. 동결과정 중 정액채취, 냉각, 예비동결 및 동결융해 후에 flow cytometric 분석에 의한 정자 생존율은 각각 93.0$\pm$3.6, 85.1$\pm$3.9, 28.9$\pm$6.8 및 26.1$\pm$5.9%이었다. 동결처리동안에 생존율은 예비동결 및 동결융해 후 가장 많은 정자사멸로 동결상태 이전의 생존율보다 유의적으로 낮게 나타났다. (p<0.05). 평가기법으로 정액 채취시 활력, NAR율 및 생존율을 조사한 결과 각각 91.0$\pm$4.2, 96.8$\pm$2.5 및 92.2$\pm$3.2%로 NAR율이 생존성 및 활력보다 높게 평가되었으며, 생존율이 활력보다 다소 높게 평가되었다. 그러나 동결융해 후에는 각각 44.0$\pm$8.9, 49.0$\pm$7.9 및 35.6$\pm$9.7%로 활력이 생존율보다 다소 높게 평가되었다. 전체적으로 NAR율은 활력은 생존율보다 높게 평가되었으며, SYBR-14 / PI(propidium iodide) 이중형광염색법에 의한 flow cytometric 평가법으로 생존율은 동결되지 않은 정액에서의 활력 및 NAR 평가보다 다소 민감하게 나타났다. 이러한 결과로 미루어보아 SYBR-14 / PI 형광염색에 의한 flow cytometry의 생존성 평가는 동결되지 않은 정액의 평가방법으로는 적절하지만 동결된 정액의 생존성 평가는 부적절한 것으로 사료되었다.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2007

돼지 정자의 성 선별에는 일반적으로 유속 세포 분석기를 이용한다. 유속 세포 분석은 DNA량의 차이에 기초하여 정자를 분리하는 기술로써 X 정자와 Y 정자를 90% 정확도로 분리할 수 있다. 그러나 이러한 유속 세포분석 기술은 정자의 손상을 야기해 정자의 기능과 수정능에 영향을 미치므로, 본 연구에서는 특정한 핵산 서열을 탐지할 수 있는 Chromogenic in situ hybridization(CISH)을 그와 비교하여 평가하였다. 유속 세포 분석을 수행하기 위해 정자를 SYBR 14와 PI로 염색하였고, histogram, dotplot, density, contour를 측정하였다. Y 염색체 특이적인 primer를 이용한 PCR로 유속 세포 분석의 정확도를 검사하였다. HRP/DAB 시스템에 기초한 CISH 분석에는 X 또는 Y 염색체에 상보적으로 결합하는 probe가 사용되었다. CISH 분석은 기존의 방법들보다 빠르고 쉬우며 비용이 적게 든다는 장점이 있다. 또한, CISH는 보다 정화한 정자의 선별을 가능하게 하는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구에 따르면 CISH가 기존의 선별 방법들을 평가하는 기술로서만이 아니라 특정한 성별을 가진 포유동물의 생산에도 사용될 수 있을 것이다.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was the analysis of sperm ability in Specific Pathogen Free (SPE) miniature pig for production of bio-organ. The collected semen was diluted with extender and stored at $17^{\circ}C$t for up to 7 days. The semen samples were evaluated at 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 days of storage for analysis of sperm ability. Sperm ability was evaluated by examining viability, progressive motility, sperm abnormality and intensity of the sperm membrane. Also, the semen was processed according to the convenient freezing method, and frozen-thawed sperm was evaluated by examining viability, capacitation and acrosome reaction using chlortetracycline (CTC) staining. Motility of spermatozoa of SPF miniature pig was significantly (P<0.05) lower on 3 days or later compared to the Duroc, Yorkshire and Landrace in domestic boar. The percentage of abnormal spermatozoa of Landrace were significantly (P<0.05) higher than in SPF miniature pig, Duroc and Yorkshire that had a similar percentage on 5 or 7 days of sperm storage. The percentage of spermatozoa with coiled tail decreased during the storage period but there were no significant difference. On the other hand, viability of frozen-thawed spermatozoa had a significantly (P<0.05) lower in SPF miniature pig than in other domestic boars. CTC patterns had no significant difference, but SPF miniature pig had higher percentage of capacitated spermatozoa and lower percentage of acrosome-reacted it than domestic boars. Therefore, this study suggest that it is necessary to develop the suitable extender and freezing methods methods for the high viable rate and fertilizing ability in vitro.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between fertility and protein pattern change using in vitro fertilization, analysis of sperm characteristics and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in different pig types. In results, the viability and mitochondria integrity of sperm were higher significantly (p<0.05) but the portions of acrosome reaction was lower significantly (p<0.05) in Duroc and $F_1$ (potbellied ${\times}$ PWG miniature pig) than PWG miniature. On in vitro fertilization to investigate fertility, the fertility of $F_1$ semen war higher significantly (p<0.05) than in Duroc and PWG miniature pig. On the other hand, protein patterns showed similar function among the different boar semen. Especially, the heat shock 70 kDa 1-like and G patch domain-containing protein 4 were significantly (p<0.05) higher expressed in $F_1$ than in Duroc and PWG miniature pig. The proteins associated with mitochondria in Duroc were significantly (p<0.05) higher expressed than in $F_1$ and PWG miniature pig. The developmental rates to blastocyst stage of oocytes fertilized with sperm of $F_1$ pig were significantly (p<0.05) higher than in PWG miniature pig. However, phosphoglycerate kinase 2 and zinc finger protein 431 were significantly (p<0.05) higher expressed in PWG miniature pig than in $F_1$ and Duroc pigs. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that different proteins were expressed in different pig types, and were associated with a sperm functions and embryo development.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.123-126
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to determine the potential hazardous effects of sorting process by flowcytometry on the quality of boar spermatozoa by flowcytometer. Freshly collected boar semen was diluted and divided into two groups; control none sorted and sorted. Sperms in sorted group were processed with flowcytometer for cell sorting with $100\;{\mu}M$ nozzle under the 20 psi pressure. Measurements on each parameter were made at two time points, 0hr (right after sorting) and 24 hr post sorting. Although there was a tendency of lower viability in sorted group than none sorted control group, the percentage of live cells in control ($75.83{\pm}6.92\;&\;59.53{\pm}10.34$) was not significantly different from sorted ($59.70{\pm}7.37\;&\;43.97{\pm}3.76$) at both 0 and 24 hr post sorting. However, sorted sperm showed significantly lower mitochondrial function compared to the control at both 0 h ($79.37{\pm}3.22\;vs.\;63.50{\pm}10.05$) and 24 hr ($67.27{\pm}3.22$ vs. $46.97{\pm}5.37$) time points (p<0.007). Sperm DNA fragmentation rate was significantly lower in control ($22.0{\pm}7.04$) than that of sorted ($32.27{\pm}7.49$) at 24 hr time point (p<0.0002). Taken together, these data suggested thatsorting process by flowcytometer may have influenced sperm motility rather than viability. Also high speed sperm sorting by flowcytometer has significant effects on DNA fragmentation on elapsed time after sorting.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2008

Production of transgenic animals for studying specific gene has been limited due to a low efficiency, lack of skilled researchers and the need for expensive equipment. Currently, the boar spermatozoa as a vector to deliver exogenous DNA into the oocyte were used to improve the efficiency of transfection rate. In this study, we revealed that the optimal conditions for DNA uptake in spermatozoa by liposome were to 90 min of incubation, $17^{\circ}C$, $10^5$ spermatozoa, 4 ng/ml of exogenous DNA and 0.5% (v/v) liposome, without damage to fertility. In addition, the developmental rate to the blastocyst stage of embryo in control group was significantly higher than those embryos with exogenous DNA and liposome, whereas there were no significant differences in embryo development between the liposome and type of DNA. The transfection rates of embryo using treated spermatozoa with both liposome and circular DNA were higher than those using linear DNA. These findings raise the possibility thattreated spermatozoa with liposome/DNA complexes could be used in in vitro fertilization, and the exogenous DNA transferred into the oocytes. Taken together, we demonstrated that liposome a vector for the uptake of exogenous DNA in boar spermatozoa could improve the efficiency of sperm-mediated gene transfer in creating transgenic pig and the other domestic transgenic animals.