• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.1-20
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• 1990

Follicular atresia is a universal and characteristic phenomenon of both non-mammalian and mammalian vertebrates. Generally it is estimated that greater than 99% of follicles become atretic in higher domestic animals and human. The number of selected follicles developing to the preovulatory stage are thus fewer. Follicles can become atretic at any stage of development. The previous studies emphasized on descriptive and retrospect aspects of a limited population of the fully grown preovulatory follicle. The main efforts in ovarian physilogical researches are focused on follicular development culminating in ovulation but recent advances have resulted in a better understanding of atresia. Nowadays, recent studies are concentrated on the induction of atresia in a selected population of follicles and of the associated cellular, endocrine, biochemical and molecular changes. The factors initiating atresia and follicle selections are worthy of investigations. Another intriguing question is whether one can predict when a follicle will become atretic, i.e., what biochemical markers indicate that a follicle is destined for atresia. It is generally agreed that atretic process may vary even in antral follicles at different stages of their differentiations and among species. The dicisive factors are follicular responsiveness and the hormonal milieu. Some generalizations can be made on the basis of experimental induction of atresia. Alteration of the pattern of follicular steroid production is associated with the initiation stage of atretic process. Atresia appears to be a process unfolding gradually and affecting progressively in increasing number of functions and components of the follicle. The oocyte may be the latest to be afflicted in the atretic process. The high steroidogenic activity of atretic follicles lends support to the notion that atresia is not necessarily a degenerative process and that atretic follicles may play an essential role in ovarian physiology. The simultaneous occurence of growth and atretic processes may render the search for regulatory mechanisms involved in atresia difficult extremely. The questions such as how follicles are selected to undergo ovulation rather than atresia or what the mechanism of atresia is remain unanswered. However, the factors regulating or modifying ovarian hormonal milieu for the initiation of follicular growth and maturation or of atresia are being elucidated.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.165-173
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• 1992

In order to study the mechanism of follicle growth and maturation, and also to supplement the criteria identifying the follicle state of normal of atretic, the histochemical investigation on the ovarian follicles according to the ovarian cycle of mouse, rat and pig has been done. The intercellular space of granulosa cells, especailly Call-Exner body, and follicular fluid in the antrum showed positive to PAS, and blue stain by trichrome dye. The resutls suggest that the mucous polysaccharide was synthesized by the granulosa cells, and secreted into the antrum through Call-Exner body so as to be the components of the follicular fluid as the follicles proceeded to growth and maturation. The further the follicles proceeded to atresia the more densely their theca externa were stained blue by follicles proceeded to atresia the more densely their theca externa were stained blue by trichrome dye, and the more densely the granulosa cells were stained red by oil red 0 dye. Therefore, these staining methods can be applied to the criteria identifying the follicle atresia.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.304-311
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• 2015

Most follicles in the mammalian ovary undergo atresia. Granulosa cell apoptosis is a hallmark of follicle atresia. Our previous study using a microRNA (miRNA) microarray showed that the let-7 microRNA family was differentially expressed during follicular atresia. However, whether the let-7 miRNA family members are related to porcine (Sus scrofa) ovary follicular apoptosis is unclear. In the current study, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression levels of let-7 family members in follicles and granulosa cells were similar to our microarray data, in which miRNAs let-7a, let-7b, let-7c, and let-7i were significantly decreased in early atretic and progressively atretic porcine ovary follicles compared with healthy follicles, while let-7g was highly expressed during follicle atresia. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis and Hoechst33342 staining demonstrated that let-7g increased the apoptotic rate of cultured granulosa cells. In addition, let-7 target genes were predicted and annotated by TargetScan, PicTar, gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathways. Our data provide new insight into the association between the let-7 miRNA family in granulosa cell programmed death.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.83-98
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• 1985

In order to study the mechanism of follicular atresia, the follicles of the porcine ovary were isolated according to the presence or absence of the corpus luteum and their size, and then classified to the normal? or atretic?follicle on the morphological observation such as the transparency, the vascularization of follicle, the nuclear phase of oocyte, and the homogeneity of the granulosa cell layer. The viability of granulosa cells was examined. The concentrations of progesterone ($P_4$), testosterone (T), and estradiol-17 beta ($E_2$) in each follicular fluid were estimated by the radioimmunoassay. The viability of granulosa cells in the atretic follicle was much lower than that of the normal one. The concentration of each steroid hormone increased as the follicular size was increased, was not different in quantity between the normal- and the atretic follicle of which diameter was below 3mm, and were much higher in the atretic follicle than those in the normal one of which diameter was above 7mm. The ratio of the concentration of E2 to T in the large atretic follicle valued higher than that in the normal one, but smaller in the small and medium atretic follicle than that in the normal one. The present study suggests that the mechanism of atresia of the large follicle may be different from that of the small and the medium follicle and that the amount of steroid hormones regarded as the one of the criteria for the atretic follicles.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.105-112
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• 2006

This study was undertaken to investigate the morphological changes between normal and atretic follicle after gamma irradiation and treatment of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The ovaries of each group of treated immature mice were prepared the paraffin sections after 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours (hrs) of those treatment. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) stain, reticulin stain, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) immunohistochemical stain were performed on the each paraffin sections. As the results of HE staining, the condensed nuclei of oocytes were observed in the atretic primordial follicles, on the other hand the condensations of granulosa cell nuclei were prominent in the atretic primary, preantral, and antral follicles. Only the granulosa cells of atretic follicle were stained specifically with TUNEL staining but not stained in the theca cells, which suggested granulosa cells degenerated through apoptosis. In the reticulin staining, the basement membranes of atretic follicle which was stained weakly showed irregular structure and detachment from the follicles. The ratio of normal to atretic follicle in control and FSH treated group was about 33% but this ratio increased rapidly over 90% in the 6, 12, and 24 hrs group after the irradiation. It could be suggested that the gamma irradiation is the useful tool far the induction of follicle atresia and immunohistochemical staining methods are essential in the study of follicle atresia.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.13-17
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• 2000

FSH는 미성숙 설치류의 난포성장을 촉진하며, 강소형성 난포의 퇴화비율을 감소시킨다. 본 연구는 미성숙 생쥐에 난포성숙호르몬을 투여한 후 유발되는 난포의 조직학적인 변화를 규명하기 위해 시행되었다. 3주령의 ICR생쥐에 10 i.u.의 재조합 난포자극호르몬을 복강주사한 후 1일, 2일, 3일에 좌측 난소의 조직학적 변화를 관찰하였다. 강소형성전 난포의경우 FSH처리 후 시간에 따라 퇴화난포의 비율이 증가하였으나 강소형성 난포의 경우에는 유의한 변화를 보이지 않았다. 퇴화되는 양상은 난포 내 세포자연사하는 과립세포의 증가, 대식세포 및 다형다핵백혈구의 증가 등이 관찰되었다. 이상의 결과로 보아, 과량의 FSH처리 후에 유발되는 난포의 퇴화는 과립세포의 세포자연사뿐 아니라 급성 염증반응을 수반하는 것으로 생각된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.179-187
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• 1998

In mammal, lots of follicles start simultaneously their growth but only a few oocytes are ovulated in every sexual cycles. Most of matured and grown oocytes are destined to degenerate by atresia. However, the molecular and physiological mechanisms are not elucidated yet. The present study was designed to establish an induction method of follicular atresia with ketamine or pentobarbitone and evaluate the effect of these anesthetics on oocyte maturation and granulosa cell apoptosis of the mouse ovarian follicle. The percentages of degenerated oocyte and apoptotic granulosa cell in ketamine treated groups were significantly higher than that in controls (58.9% vs 33.5%, p<0.01, degeneration; 44.9% vs 26.6%, p<0.01, apotosis). Futhermore, it was revealed that the concentrations of progesterone in both groups were markedly higher than that in control. In cunclusion, it is considered that ketamine induce an atresia as pentobarbitone, and may be useful for inducing follicular atresia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.39-51
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• 1986

This experiment has been done to evaluate the relationship between the follicular atresia and the protein patterns on electrophoreais of the follicular fluids in porcine ovary. The protein concentration of the follicular fluids was lower than that of serum, and gradually decreased as the follicle siae became larger. The number of protein bands of follicular fluid on electrophoresis was less than that of serum, and gradually increased as follicle size became larger. Three specific bands were detected on disc PAGE and one band(M W. 75,000) on SDS PAGE in the follicular fluids, while not in serum. One band (A) at ${\beta}$-globulin region on disc PAGE became heavier, as follicles became atretic. Two bands less than(M. W. 20,000) were detected only in the large follicular fluid. Another band(M. W. 43,000) was not detected in necrotic group, whereas all other groups showed it. It could be concluded that the component and composition of the proteins follicular fluids changes according to the follicular size during atresia. Therefore detection of the changing pattern of proteins in the follicular fluid can be used as a basic criterion for the identification of follicular atretic stage.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.385-390
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• 1999

Ovarian follicles are faced with one of two fates, atresia or development. Up to 99% of follicles become degenerated rather than ovulated in female life span. Thus, atresia occurs at all stages of follicle development in mammalian ovaries. In the present experiment, the effect of ${\gamma}$-radiation on primordial follicles was morphologically analyzed in a mouse ovary. Thirty-seven percent of the primordial follicles in the non-irradiated control mice ovaries were abnormal. At day 8 post irradiation, most of primordial follicles became atretic. They lost their integrity of architecture in the follicular shape. Then, all the oocytes disappeared from the follicles. And only 3 to 4 granulosa cells lay down onto the basement membrane. Disappearance of granulosa cells or oocytes resulted from the radiation-induced apoptotic process. It is definitely clear that ${\gamma}$-radiation induces rapid apoptotic degeneration of the primordial follicles. The morphological degeneration induced by radiation in the primordial follicles can be used as an experimental model to draw out a deeper insight for radioprotectant researches.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.208-212
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• 2012

쥐의 난포를 대상으로 한 연구는 대부분 임상에서 암 치료에 사용되는 선량보다 높은 선량이 사용되어 왔다. 본 연구에서는 암 치료에 사용되는 단일조사 방사선 선량이 쥐의 난포 퇴축에 미치는 영향에 대해 알아보고자 하였다. 본 연구에는 4 주령의 흰쥐(Sprague-Dawley계통)를 실험 동물로 사용하였다. 방사선을 조사하지 않은 대조군, 2 cGy 조사군, 2 Gy 조사군으로 나누어 방사선을 4 Gy $min^{-1}$ 선량으로 조사하였다. 이때 사용된 방사선속은 6 MV-X선(Mevatron 67, Siemens, Germany)을 사용하였으며, 조사 면적은 $30{\times}30cm$, SSD (source-surface-distance)는 100 cm 거리에서 배측 방향으로 난소를 향해 단일 전신조사하였다. 2 cGy군과 2 Gy군은 조사 24 시간 후에 경추 탈구사시킨 후 개복하고, 생리적 식염수 내에서 난소를 적출하였다. 방사선에 의한 난포의 형태학적인 변화와 난포의 발육단계 정도를 파악하기 위해 H & E 염색을 실시하였다. 난포의 폐쇄가 진행되면서 나타나는 난포 과립세포의 세포고사 정도를 면역조직화학적으로 관찰하기 위해 절편화된 DNA를 염색할 수 있는 TUNEL 염색을 실시하였다. SPSSWIN(ver.19.0)프로그램을 이용하여, 전체난포에 대한 폐쇄된 난포의 비율과 난포의 각 발육단계에서 전체난포 중 폐쇄가 일어나지 않은 정상난포의 비율을 구하여 평균${\pm}$표준편차로 나타내었으며, 비모수검정의 Mann Whitney 테스트를 이용하여 비교하였다. 전체난포에 대한 퇴축난포의 비율이 2 Gy군은 대조군(p=0.011)과 2 cGy군(p=0.025) 보다 통계학적으로 유의하게 높았다. 난포동형성전 난포에서는 2 Gy군이 대조군 보다 유의하게 낮은 정상난포의 비율을 보였다(64.0 vs. 87.7, p=0.027). 난포동 난포에서는 2 cGy군이 대조군과(53.4 vs. 39.8, p=0.020) 2 Gy군(vs. 33.9, p=0.053) 보다 정상난포의 비율이 유의하게 증가하였고, 2 Gy군이 대조군 보다 낮은 정상난포 비율(33.9 vs. 39.8, p=0.522)을 보였다. 임상에서 암 치료에 사용되는 2 Gy의 단일조사 방사선 선량은 쥐의 난포 퇴축에 유의한 영향을 미쳤다.