• Development and Reproduction
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 2012

The ultrastructural characteristics of germ cell differentiations during spermatogenesis and mature sperm morphology in male $Atrina$ ($Servatrina$) $pectinata$ were evaluated via transmission electron microscopic observation. The accessory cells, which contained a large quantity of glycogen particles and lipid droplets in the cytoplasm, are assumed to be involved in nutrient supply for germ cell development. Morphologically, the sperm nucleus and acrosome of this species are ovoid and conical in shape, respectively. The acrosomal vesicle, which is formed by two kinds of electron-dense or lucent materials, appears from the base to the tip: a thick and slender elliptical line, which is composed of electron-dense opaque material, appears along the outer part (region) of the acrosomal vesicle from the base to the tip, whereas the inner part (region) of the acrosomal vesicle is composed of electron-lucent material in the acrosomal vesicle. Two special characteristics, which are found in the acrosomal vesicle of A. ($S$) $pectinata$ in Pinnidae (subclass Pteriomorphia), can be employed for phylogenetic and taxonomic analyses as a taxonomic key or a significant tool. The spermatozoa were approximately $45-50{\mu}m$ in length, including a sperm nucleus (about $1.43{\mu}m$ in length), an acrosome (about $0.51{\mu}m$ in length), and a tail flagellum (about $46-47{\mu}m$). The axoneme of the sperm tail evidences a 9+2 structure.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2011

The ultrastructural characteristics of germ cell development during spermatogenesis and mature sperm morphology of in male Scapharca subcrenata were investigated by transmission electron microscope observation. Spermatogonia are located nearest the outer wall of the acinus, while spermatocytes and spermatids are positioned near the accessory cells. The accessory cells, which is in close contact with developing germ cells, contained a large quantity of glycogen particles and lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. Therefore, it is assumed that they are involved in supplying of the nutrients for germ cell development. The morphologies of the sperm nucleus and the acrosome of this species are the oval shape and cone shape, respectively. Spermatozoa are approximately 45-$50{\mu}m$ in length including a sperm nucleus (about $1.30{\mu}m$ in length), an acrosome (about $0.59{\mu}m$ in length), and tail flagellum (about 43-$47{\mu}m$). The axoneme of the sperm tail shows a 9 + 2 structure. As some characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle structures, the right and left basal rings show electron opaque part (region), and also the anterior apex part of the acrosomal vesicle shows electron opaque part (region). These characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle were found in Acinidae and other several families in subclass Pteriomorphia. These common characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle in subclass Pteriomorphia can be used for phylogenetic and taxonomic analysis as a taxonomic key or a significant tool. The number of mitochondria in the midpiece of the sperm of this species are five, as one of common characteristics appear in most species in Arcidae and other families in subclass Pteriomorphia. The acrosomal vesicles of Arcidae species do not contain the axial rod and several transverse bands in acrosome, unlkely as seen in Ostreidae species in subclass Pteriomorphia, These characteristics can be used for the taxonomic analysis of the family or superfamily levels as a systematic key or tools.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.228-242
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• 1993

Some therapeutic agents and medicaments may lead to pathologic changes in the gingival tissue, especially on the cultured human gingival fibroblasts. The purpose of this study was to investigate on the effect of diphenylhydantoin, retinoic acid to the human gingival fibroblast. Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured from the healthy gingiva of patients with orthodontic patients. Gingival fibroblasts were trypsinized and transferred to the wells of 96 well microtest plates. Next day, the medium was removed, fibroblasts were washed with HBSS, and the washed cells were cultured in growth medium added 5 or $10{\mu}g/ml$ of diphenylhydantoin, $10^{-5}M$, $10^{-6}M$ and $10^{-7}M$ of retinoic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid. The passage number of cultured fibroblasts were fifth and eighth. The cell morphology was examined by inverted microscope, the cell number was counted by hemocytometer, and cell activity was measured by the growth and proliferatiton assay using MTT assay. The fifth experiments were performed and statistical significance was measured by ANOVA. The cell morphology in the presence of retinoic acid was round irrespective of the presence of diphenylhydantoin and glycyrrhetinic acid(Fig 2-6). The proliferation of cells was not changed by diphenylhydantoin(Table 1). The cell activity showed the tendency to increase at the concentration of $10{\mu}$'/, of diphenylhydantoin (Table 2). The cell activity in the presence of retinoic acid glycyrrhetinic acid was decreased, and the increased cell activity by diphenylhydantoin was decreased by retinoic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid at the concentration of $10^{-7}M$(Table 3-5). These results suggested that the increased cell activity by diphenylhydantoin might be modulated by retinoic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.785-791
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• 2014

Crude extracts or phytochemicals obtained from some plants have potential anti-cancer properties. Teucrium persicum is an Iranian endemic plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family which has traditionally been used to relieve abdominal pains. However, the anti-cancer properties of this species of the Teucrium genus have not been investigated previously. In this study, we have used a highly invasive prostate cancer cell line, PC-3, which is an appropriate cell system to study anti-tumor properties of plants. A methanolic extract obtained from T persicum potently inhibited viability of PC-3 cells. The viability of SW480 colon and T47D breast cancer cells was also significantly decreased in the presence of the T persicum extract. Flow cytometry suggested that the reduction of cell viability was due to induction of apoptosis. In addition, the results of wound healing and gelatin zymography experiments supported anti-cell invasion activity of T persicum. Interestingly, sublethal concentrations of T persicum extract induced an epithelial-like morphology in a subpopulation of cells with an increase in E-Cadherin and ${\beta}$-Catenin protein levels at the cell membrane. These results strongly suggest that T persicum is a plant with very potent anti-tumor activity.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.98-108
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• 1994

Gingival hyperplasia is frequently associated with the long-term use of phenytoin for control of convulsive disorder. The purpose of this study was to investigate on the effects of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), ursolic acid and oleanolic acid to phenytoin-induced cell activity in human gingival fibroblast. Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured form the healthy gingiva of orthodontic patients. Gingival fibroblasts were trypsinized and transferred to the weels of microtest plates. Fibroblast were cultured in growth medium added $5{\mu}g/ml$ of phenytoin, $5{\mu}g/ml$ of LPS, $10^{-7}M$ of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid. The passage number of cultured fibroblasts were fifth and eight. Cell morphology was examined by inverted microscope and the cell activity was measured by proliferation assay. Ursolic acid significantly modulated cell morphology into globular shape at the concentrantion of $10^{-7}M$ in the presence of phenytoin and LPS, and the cell activity was significantl decreased by ursolic acid or oleanolic acid regardless of the presence of phenytoin and LPS. These results suggested that the increased phenytoin-induced cell activity might be modulated by ursolic acid regardless of the presence of phenytoin and LPS. These results suggested that the increased phenytoin-induced cell activity might be modulated by ursolic acid or oleanolic acid. Further study is needed to clarify their toxicological effects on cellular modulation and mRNA expression change.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.622-634
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• 1993

Gingiva is remarkly sensitive to certain drugs. Especially, long term use of phentoin, dihydropyrydine (including nifedipine), cyclosporin and other drugs can be lead to pathologic changes in gingival tissue, especially in terms of proliferation of epithelium and connective tissue. Recent study in terms of proliferation of epithelium and connective tissue. Recent study is focused on the inhibition of drug-induced gingival hyperplasia by using medicaments. The purpose of this study was to investigate on the pharmacological effects of nifedipine, retinoic acid and glycyrrhetini acid to the activity in human gingival fibroblast. Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured from the healthy gingiva of orthodontic patients. Gingival fibroblasts were trypsinized and cultured in growth medium added $5{\mu}g/ml$ of nifedipine, $10^{+7}M$ of retinoic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid. The passage number of cultured fibroblasts were between fifth and eighth. The cell morphology was examined by inverted microscope and the cell acitivity was measured by the MTT assay. Nifedipine at the concentration of $5{\mu}g/ml$ was revealed significantly effective to increase the cell activity and lipopolysaccharide was cofactor to increase cell activity in the presence of nifedipine. However, retinoic acid was significantly effective on the globular change of cell morphology and loss of cell process regardless of the presence of nifedipine and LPS. Cell activity was significantly decreased by the glycyrrhetinic acid at the concentration of $10^-M$ regardless of the presence of nifedipine and LPS. These results suggested that the increased cell activity by nifedipine might be modulated by retinoic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid. Further study is needed to clarify on their toxicological effects during cellular modulation and mRNA expression change.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.563-569
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• 2020

Purpose: The vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in mature animals have implicated to play a major role in the progression of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. This study aimed at optimizing the protocol in culturing primary VSMCs (pVSMCs) from rat thoracic aorta and investigating the effect of cellular zinc (Zn) deficiency on cell proliferation of the isolated pVSMCs. Methods: The thoracic aorta from 7-month-old Sprague Dawley rats was isolated, minced and digested by the enzymatic process of collagenase I and elastase, and then inoculated with the culture Dulbecco Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) at 37℃ in an incubator. The primary cell culture morphology was observed using phase-contrast microscopy and cellular Zn was depleted using Chelex-100 resin (extracellular zinc depletion only) or 3 µM N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridinylmethyl)-1,2-ethanediamine (TPEN) (extracellular and intracellular zinc depletion). Western blot analysis was used for the detection of SM22α and calponin as smooth muscle cell marker proteins and von Willebrand factor as endothelial cell marker protein to detect the culture purity. Cell proliferation by Zn depletion (1 day) was measured by MTT assay. Results: A primary culture protocol for pVSMCs from rat thoracic aorta was developed and optimized. Isolated cultures exhibited hill and valley morphology as the major characteristics of pVSMCs and expressed the smooth muscle cell protein markers, SM22α and calponin, while the endothelial marker von Willebrand factor was hardly detected. Zn deprivation for 1 day culture decreased rat primary vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and this pattern was more prominent under severe Zn depletion (3 µM TPEN), while less prominent under mild Zn depletion (Chelexing). Conclusion: Our results suggest that cellular Zn deprivation decreased pVSMC proliferation and this may be involved in phenotypic modulation of pVSMC in the aorta.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.338-343
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• 2012

The early osseointegration of titanium (Ti) dental implants is related to the initial cell morphology. The morphology of the cells (mesenchymal stem cells, MSC) was observed on three different Ti disc surfaces, which were mechanically treated by polishing, blasting, and scratching. A non-directional surface (isotropic texture) was obtained by the blasting of HA grits on cp-Ti discs, and a unidirectional surface (anisotropic texture) was obtained by the scratching of SiC papers. The cell attachment and arrangement in the initial periods were quite similar, but those in the later periods were significantly affected by the texture of the cp-Ti discs. After 1 week, the blasted Ti discs showed non-directional arrangement or spreading of the cells, whereas the scratched cp-Ti discs showed unidirectional properties parallel to the direction of the scratched grooves on the surface. The surface roughness of the cp-Ti discs significantly affects cell proliferation. Cell proliferation on the blasted and scratched surfaces was about 60% and 40% higher compared to the control result (polishing group) after 1 week (P<0.05). Cell proliferation on the blasted and scratched surfaces after 1 week was slightly enhanced with increasing surface roughness. It is believed that the direction of cell attachment and arrangement is closely related to the surface texture of the substrate surfaces, but cell proliferation after a relatively long period of time is directly enhanced by the surface roughness, not by the surface texture.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 2002

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) persistence was established and maintained in Vero cell culture for over 1 year. Eleven clones of plaque morphology mutant JEV, with large and small plaque sizes, were obtained from the cell culture supernatant. Genomic RNA replication efficiency of the mutants in naive Vero cell appeared to correspond to their different plaque sizes. No significant changes in envelop protein ORF or in non-coding regions at both ends of the RNA genome suggested that there could be an unidentified factor(s) playing role in JEV attenuation. Unlike to the replication of wild-type JEV, the mutants did not induce severe degree of cytopathic effect in Vero cells upon infection. While obvious decrease of Bcl-2 and its mRNA expression and sharp increase of p53 in naive Vero cells infected with either wild-type JEV or the large plaque-forming mutant, those changes were not observed with the small plaque-forming one. Together with these observation, internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and chromosomal DNA profile in the Vero cells infected with the mutants suggest that an overall changes in cytopathic effect in the plaque morphology mutants-infected cells should be primarily due to the reduced genomic RNA replication and the compromised degree of p53-independent apoptosis by the virus infection at least in part.

• ALGAE
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.175-190
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• 2004

The morphological and molecular characteristics of Pachydictyon coriaceum (Holmes) Okamura (1899) are described. Plants are collected from Korea all year round and have maximum height from August to September. The monthly variability of thallus growth is in the way with that of the seawater temperature. Two types of thallus structures, thick cortical layer tallus type and thin cortical cell layer type, are distinguished according to growing seasons. The habit of Korean plants is also classified into two thallus types, slender type and wide type, based on the length and the width of internodes, but this distinction between two types is not supported by either anatomical or molecular characteristics. P. coriaceum shares typical morphology in branching pattern and morphogenetic processes with the other species of Dictyota: 1) multi-cellular cortical and medullar layer in the partial of thallus, 2) same development of thallus from apical meristem cell, and 3) sub-lineage within Dictyota species lineage in rbcL, psaA and psbA gene sequences analyses. These characteristics lead to propose the new combination of Dictyota coriacea (Homes) I.K. Hwang, H.S. Kim et W.J. Lee, comb. nov.