• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.155-159
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• 2004

This study was carried out to investigate the general characteristics and viability of sperm after freezing and thawing and the pregnancy rates after artificial insemination with thawed semen. The rates of viable sperm after slow and rapid freezing were 87.4±3.85% and 70.8±4.45%, respectively which were significantly lower than that of fresh semen control (91.7±3.45%). The mean concentration of epididymal sperm after dilution in 1.0 ml saline and. 3.0 ml extender in a various concentrations of cryoprotectants was 124.5±48.3 x 10/sup 6/ (range of 45 x 10/sup 6/ to 280 X 10/sup 6/ /ml). There was a significant difference not in the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm, but in the percentage of capacitated sperm, between fresh and frozen-thawed epididymal semen. When frozen-thawed after diluting with tris-buffer extender containing glycerol, DMSO and ethylene glycol with concentration of 2 to 6%, the rates of epididymal sperm exposed to different cryoprotectants ranged from 14.4±4.7% to 20.7±5.8%, 17.8±5.2% to 36.5±4.9%, and 14.4±4.6% to 18.5±5.3%, respectively which were lower compare to fresh semen control. The pregnancy rate after artificial insemination with frozen semen was 70.6%, whereas that with fresh semen was 90.0% in dogs with naturally induced estrus.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.29-29
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• 2003

The objective of this study is to examine an effective cryopreservation method and various vitrification containers on the survival vates of embroys. For the vitrification, in vitro produced embryos at blastocyst stage were exposed to ethylene glycol 5.5 M freezing solution (EG5.5) for 20 sec, loaded on containers such as grid, straw and paper and then immediately plunged into - 196$^{\circ}C$ L$N_2$. The blastocysts were thawed serially in 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125%; P < 0.05). Therefore, this study suggests that bovine embryos can be easily, effectively and successfully cryopreserved by grid, straw, and paper in the presence of freezing solution. Furthermore, vitrification using paper may be used as a no M sucrose in CR1aa, each for 1 min, and cultured in CR1 an medium supplemented with 10% FBS. After thawing, there were not significant differences in recovery rates of EM grid, straw and paper as 84.6, 88.3, and 93.7%, respectively (Table 1). However, survival rates of EM grid (78.1%) and paper (77.1%) showed significantly higher than straw (52. 1w method for bovine embryos.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of melatonin and selenium in freezing extenders on frozen-thawed rat sperm. Methods: Semen samples were collected from 20 adult male Wistar albino rats. Following dilution, the samples were divided into six groups: four cryopreserved groups with 1 mM and 0.5 mM melatonin and selenium supplements, and two fresh and cryopreserved control groups. The rapid freezing technique was used to freeze the samples. Flow cytometry was used to assess plasma membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and DNA damage, while computer-assisted sperm analysis was used to assess motility. Results: Total motility was higher in the 1 mM melatonin supplementation group than in the cryopreserved control group (mean±standard error of the mean, 69.89±3.05 vs. 59.21±1.31; p≤0.05). The group with 1 mM selenium had the highest plasma membrane integrity (42.35%±1.01%). The cryopreserved group with 0.5 mM selenium had the highest mitochondrial membrane potential, whereas the cryopreserved control group had the lowest (45.92%±4.53% and 39.45%±3.52%, respectively). Conclusion: Cryopreservation of rat semen supplemented with 1 mM melatonin increased sperm motility after freeze-thawing, while supplementation with 0.5 mM selenium increased mitochondrial activity.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.311-319
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• 2009

Objective: Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have the capacity to differentiate into all of the cell types and therefore hold promise for cell therapeutic applications. In order to utilize this important potential of hESCs, enhancement of currently used technologies for handling and manipulating the cells is required. The cryopreservation of hESC colonies was successfully performed using the vitrification and slow freezing-rapid thawing method. However, most of the hESC colonies were showed extremely spontaneous differentiation after freezing and thawing. In this study, we were performed to rapidly collect of early passage hESCs, which was thawed and had high rate of spontaneously differentiation of SNUhES11 cell line. Methods: Four days after plating, partially spontaneously differentiated parts of hESC colony were cut off using finely drawn-out dissecting pipette, which is mechanical separation method. Results: After separating of spontaneously differentiated cells, we observed that removed parts were recovered by undifferentiated cells. Furthermore, mechanical separation method was more efficient for hESCs expansion after thawing when we repeated this method. The recovery rate after removing differentiated parts of hESC colonies were 55.0%, 74.5%, and 71.1% when we have applied this method to three passages. Conclusion: Mechanical separation method is highly effective for rapidly collecting and large volumes of undifferentiated cells after thawing of cryopreserved early passage hESCs.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.241-248
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• 2014

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of embryonic stage, cryoprotectant, and freezing-thawing method on the rates of survival and development of the cryopreserved mouse early embryo and finally to establish the cryopreservation method of surplus embryos obtained during assisted reproductive technology (ART). Two to eight cell embryos were obtained from oviducts of mated $F_1$ hybrid female mice superovulated by PMSG and hCG. Two-step EG, DMSO and 4-step EG, DMSO were used as cryoprotectant and dehydration and rehydration method of embryos, and slow-cooling or rapid-cooling method was used as frozen program. The survival rates of embryos were measured after thawing and rehydration, and the developmental rates of embryos were compared and observed during culturing embryos for 24, 48, 72, 96 hrs. As for the survival and development rates of embryos according to embryonic stage, the survival rate of 2 cell stage in EG and DMSO was significantly higher than 4~8 cell (65.4% versus 61.2%, 81.1% versus 72.5%) (p<0.01, p<0.01), but the development rates of 4~8 cell embryos in EG and DMSO were significantly higher than 2 cell embryos for whole culture period (p<0.01) and the development rates of 4~8 cell embryos in EG were significantly higher than 2 cell embryos in DMSO (p<0.01). As for the survival and development rates of embryos according to cryoprotectant, the survival rate of 2 cell embryo in DMSO was significantly higher than that in EG(77.0% versus 64.4%) (p<0.01), whereas the development rate of embryos was not differ till 24 hrs. The development rate from morular to hatching blastocyst, however, was sinificantly higher in EG than in DMSO during 48 hr (p<0.01). The survival rate of 4~8 cell embryo was 62.5% in EG and 73.3% in DMSO. The development rates of embryo in EG were significantly higher for whole culture periods (p<0.01, 0.05). In respect to the effect of freezing and thawing program on the survival and development rates of embryos, method of slow cooling and rapid thawing was more effective than that of rapid cooling and rapid thawing. The survival rate of embryo in 2 cell stage was higher than in 4~8 cell stage, and EG appears more effective cryoprotectant than DMSO because EG showed better development rates of embryos in 2 and 4~8 cell stage. Moreover, slow cooling and rapid thawing method was considered as the best cryopreservation program.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.143-152
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• 1992

The present experiments were focussed to modify a short slow-cooling protocol used for freezing of early stage embryo(Testart et al., 1986) and also to apply the modified method for the cryopreservation of hamster oocytes with Zona or without. The protocol was modified by changing the 4-step equilibration into 1-step and the 1-step thawing into 2-step. The oocytes were added in 1.5M PROH and 0.1M Sucrose, seeded at $-7^{\circ}C$, slow cooled($0.3^{\circ}C$/min) to $-30^{\circ}C$ before plunging to $-196^{\circ}C$. The oocytes were thawed at $23-25^{\circ}C$ air(20sec/150sec) and/or 33-35 water(10sec). The survival of the frozen-thawed oocytes was determined by morphologic criteria and their fertilizing ability was also estimated by Sperm Penetration Assay(SPA) system(Chang et al, 1990) using fertile men semen sample. One-step equilibration showed slightly higher survival rate(83.9% vs. 71.0%) and fertilization rate(83.9% vs. 71.0%) compared with four-step(p>0.05). And two-step thawing(air & water exposing) of oocytes frozen after 1-step equilibration showed significantly higher survival rate(96.3%) than one-step thawing at air(85.2%) or water(65.0%) only(p<0.05). Therefore, by the modified method(l-step equilibration & 2-step thawing), Zona-intact(ZI) and Zona-free(ZF) oocytes were frozen and thawed. ZI-oocytes showed significantly higher survival rate(95.4%, 308/323 vs. 67.6%, 240/355) than ZF-oocytes(P<0.01). But the survival of ZF-oocytes was as high as ZI-oocytes in fourteen of twenty-four replicates. ZI-oocytes was also significantly higher fertilization rate($92.4{\pm}8.9%$ vs. $63.7{\pm}18.5%$) and higher mean number of penetrated sperm($6.2{\pm}4.2$ vs. $3.9{\\pm}3.3$) than ZF-oocytes, but not higher than control(fresh oocytes;$99.3{\pm}2.4%$, $8.4{\pm}4.2$)(P<0.001). Conclusively, this modified method will contribute to freeze effectively the hamster oocytes for simplifing of the logical consideration of performing SPA and also to freeze the human and other animal oocytes.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.263-271
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was undertaken to compare ability of frozen-thawed sperm characteristics between two strains (miniature pig and Duroc). The semen was collected by gloved-hand method into a pre-warmed ($37^{\circ}C$) thermos bottle. The semen was diluted with same volume extender and added to LEY solution for freezing. The diluted semen was placed in 0.5 ml straws, and freezing was initiated by exposing the straws to liquid nitrogen ($LN_2$) vapours for 10 min before placing them into $LN_2$ for cryopreservation. The frozen-semen straw were thawed at 20, 37 and $50^{\circ}C$ for 1 min, 45 sec and 10 sec within water-bath. The semen sample were evaluated at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 h after incubation at $37^{\circ}C$ for analysis of sperm ability. Abnormality of spermatozoa in miniature pig was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that in Duroc at 0, 9 and 12 h of post-thawing incubation after frozen-thawing. The percentage of F-patterned spermatozoa in miniature pig was significantly (p<0.05) lower, while the percentage of AR (acrosome reacted spermatozoa) pattern was higher in the miniature than in the Duroc. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the viability of spermatozoa thawed at different temperature ($20^{\circ}C\;and\;37^{\circ}C$) between two species, but the viability in miniature pig was higher (p<0.05) than in Duroc when sperm was thawed at $50^{\circ}C$. In conclusion, this study suggest that suitable freezing method for miniature pig semen is required for increasing post-thawing viability and fertilization capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1444-1450
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• 2007

To prevent the deterioration of jujube wine quality due to commercial heating process for sterilization, hydrostatic pressure (500 MPa, 5 min) or freezing (frozen at $-20^{\circ}C$ for 3 days, followed by thawing at room temperature for 4 hr) treatment was applied. Their microbial count, physicochemical property and sensory quality were investigated in comparison to heat-treated jujube wine ($63^{\circ}C$, 10 min) and commercial wine. Pressure-treated and commercial jujube wine were completely sterilized and heat-treated wine was decreased to <10 CFU/mL while freezing-treated jujube wine was partially sterilized $(30{\sim}60%)$. Hydrostatic pressure and freezing, and heat treatment had no influence on chemical compositions such as pH, acidity, amino acidity, reducing sugar and ethanol content, but significantly induced the changes of instrumental color. While sensory quality of heat-treated jujube wine was significantly deteriorated, reducing sour and burning taste, that of pressure and freezing-treated jujube wine was maintained fresh without decrease in sour and burning taste.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.490-496
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• 2020

A styrofoam box is used as a simple and easy freezing method to preserve animal semen as a livestock genetic source. This study optimized the methods of freezing chikso brindled cattle semen. To test the freezing box, the motility of spermatozoa was compared between two box sizes (length×width×heigh) with the dimensions of 23.5×30.5×22.5 cm and 25.5×46.5×26.5 cm. The motility of thawed sperm from brindled Korean bulls was used to confirm the efficiency of the freezing boxes. The box having a larger inner space with larger horizontal and height measurements supported better motility after thawing (60.4±5.3% vs 67.2±3.1%) with 10 min of exposure time in liquid nitrogen vapor. The optimized freezing space is estimated to be an essential element for successful freezing results and the larger box could be used for production of more than 60 frozen semen straws. These properties are also helpful to optimize the cryopreservation techniques that would control the quality and quantity of semen straws according to different animal species.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2015

This study was performed to optimize the preparation of frozen lotus roots. Prior to freezing, an optimal blanching condition at $100^{\circ}C$ for 5 min was established, based on the microbial growth, texture, total phenolic content (TPC), and sensory evaluation results. The blanched samples were then frozen under various freezing conditions ($-20^{\circ}C$ in a freezer for 2 hr, $-70^{\circ}C$ in a gas nitrogen convection chamber for 7 min, and $-196^{\circ}C$ in liquid nitrogen for 20 sec), and their qualities after thawing were determined. The scanning electron microscopic analysis indicated that the microstructure of the sample frozen at $-70^{\circ}C$ was similar to that of the control sample, compared with the other freezing conditions (-20 and $-196^{\circ}C$). The antioxidant activities of the frozen samples decreased compared to those of the control, but there was no significant (p<0.05) difference among the treatments. In terms of TPC, the samples frozen at -70 and $-196^{\circ}C$ had significantly (p<0.05) higher values than the sample frozen at $-20^{\circ}C$. In addition, the drip loss of the sample frozen at $-20^{\circ}C$ was higher than those of the other frozen samples. These results suggest that freezing at $-70^{\circ}C$ in a gas nitrogen convection chamber can be an optimal freezing method of producing high-quality frozen lotus roots.