• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2013

The increase in the meat quality and milk production of cows, which breed Korean Native Cow (KNC) and Holstein cow, is not improving reproductive efficiency. In this study, we examined the effect of interferon (IFN) supplementation on motility of frozen-thawed semen and pregnancy rate after artificial insemination of KNC and Holstein cow. In experiment 1, we investigated the effect of IFN-tau concentration (10,000 IU and 20,000 IU) on the percentage of total motility (TM) and progressive motility (PM) of frozen-thawed spermatozoa. In experiment 2, KNC were infused 20,000 IU IFN-tau at insemination or after insemination. In experiment 3, KNC or Holstein cow were inseminated with frozen-thawed semen and infused 20,000 IU IFN-gamma or -tau after insemination. In experiment 1, the average of TM (23.9% to 30.9%) and PM (18.5% to 21.9%) were similar between control and treatments. In experiment 2, the pregnancy rates of IFN infusing times were not different from 45.8% to 53.6%. In experiment 3, the pregnancy rates of Holstein cow infused different kinds of IFN were similar (control, IFN-gamma, IFN-tau; 42.9%, 40.5%, 48.0%). In the case of KNC, however, the pregnancy rate of control was 55.6%, which was significantly lower than that of IFN-gamma (68.9%; p<0.05). Thus, IFN is effective on the improvement of reproductive efficiency, but further study is needed.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.43-43
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• 2001

This study evaluated the effect of fertilization-promoting peptide (FPP) on fertilizing ability and glycosidase activity in vitro of spermatozoa frozen-thawed in pig, Using chlortetracycline fluorescence analysis, the various glycosidase analyses and the oocyte penetration test, we have obtained evidence that FPP can promote the fertilizing ability and glycosidase activity of frozen-thawed spermatozoa in vitro. When frozen-thawed spermatozoa was washed with different concentrations of FPP, there were significantly (P<0.05) more acrosome-reacted in medium with 100 nM than 0, 50, 200 and 400 nM. The penetration rates were also highest in medium containing with 100 nM FPP (P<0.05). On the other hand, the $\beta$-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity was at least twofold higher than other glycosidase. In same glycosidase, however, there were no difference in medium with different concentrations of FPP In another experiment, spermatozoa preincubated in medium with or without FPP for 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h were inseminated with oocytes matured in vitro. The percentages of spermatozoa that reached acrosome reaction were affected by preincubation and were higher in medium with that than without FPP. When oocytes were inseminated with spermatozoa preincubated in medium with and without FPP during the different periods, however, penetration rates were decreased with preincubation periods of spermatozoa. On the other hand, when the sperm-oocyte were cultured for 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 h, the penetration rates were higher in spermatozoa preincubated with that than without FPP and had a tendency to increase as time of culture periods. However, The activities of $\alpha$-fucosidase, $\alpha$ -mannosidase, $\beta$-galactosidase and N-acetyl- $\beta$-D-glucosaminidase were higher in medium with that than without FPP regardless of periods of sperm preincubation and sperm-oocyte culture. These results suggest that FPP may play a positive role in promoting of sperm function and glycosidase activity in vitro in pig.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.401-411
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• 2023

Many studies have been conducted to improve technology for semen cryopreservation in pigs. However, computer-assisted analysis of sperm motility and morphology is insufficient to predict the molecular function of frozen-thawed semen. More accurate expression patterns of boar sperm proteins may be derived using the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) technique. In this study, the iTRAQ-labeling system was coupled with liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis to identify differentially expressed CM10-fractionated proteins between fresh and frozen-thawed boar semen. A total of 76 protein types were identified to be differentially expressed, among which 9 and 67 proteins showed higher and lower expression in frozen-thawed than in fresh sperm samples, respectively. The classified functions of these proteins included oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial inner membrane and matrix, and pyruvate metabolic processes, which are involved in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis; and sperm flagellum and motile cilium, which are involved in sperm tail structure. These results suggest a possible network of biomarkers associated with survival after the cryopreservation of Duroc boar semen.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.203-209
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• 2011

Objective: This study was performed to compare the efficiency of slow freezing and vitrification based on survival, development to blastocysts, and cell numbers of blastocysts. Changes in embryonic gene expression in fresh and frozen-thawed embryos were also examined. Methods: Eight-cell stage embryos were collected from superovulated female BDF1 mice. The collected embryos were randomly divided into three groups. One group was maintained as fresh controls (n=42), one was frozen by slow freezing (n=43), and one was cooled by vitrification (n=43). After thawing or cooling, survival rates, development to blastocyst, and cell numbers and inner cell mass (ICM) cell numbers of blastocysts were compared with those of the control group. The expressions of eight genes ($Rbm3$, $Birc5$, $Sod1$, $Sod2$, $Cirbp$, $Caspase3$, $Trp53$, $Hsp70.1$) were examined by real time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction in the fresh and frozen-thawed embryos. Results: There were no significant differences in the slow freezing and vitrification groups' survival rate after thawing (88.4% vs. 88.4%), development to blastocyst (100% vs. 97.4%), cell numbers ($107.0{\pm}21.0$ vs. $115.0{\pm}19.7$), or ICM cell numbers of blastocysts ($11.3{\pm}5.2$ vs. $11.1{\pm}3.7$). Cell numbers of blastocysts were significantly ($p$ <0.05) lower in the frozen-thawed embryos than the fresh embryos. There were no significant differences in the slow freezing and the vitrification groups' expressions of the eight genes. The expressions of $CirbP$ and $Hsp70.1$ were higher in the frozen-thawed embryos than in the fresh embryos but there were no significant differences. Conclusion: These results suggest that there were no significant differences between embryos that underwent slow freezing and vitrification.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.612-616
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• 2004

This study was carried out to compare the semen characteristics, frozen-thawed sperm viability and testosterone concentration and in vitro fertilization (IVF) and development of in vitro matured pig oocytes between two Yorkshire boars. Semen and blood samples were collected once per week from October to November 2002 from two adult Yorkshire boars at 18 months of age with 170 kg body weight. Sperm were deep frozen in 5 ml maxi-straws with lactose-egg yolk and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (LEN) diluent and stored in liquid nitrogen. Blood samples were obtained at 10 a.m. by inserting a 21 gauge, hypodermic needle attached to 10 ml syringe into surface veins in the ear. The concentration of testosterone was determined by Competitive Enzyme Immunoassay. Ovaries were collected from prepubertal gilts at a local slaughter house. Cumulus oocyte complexes were aspirated from antral follicles (3 to 6 mm in diameter). The medium used for oocyte maturation was modified TCM 199. After about 22 h of culture, oocytes were cultured without cysteamine and hormones for 22 h at $38.5^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ in air. For IVF, one frozen 5 ml straw was thawed at $52^{\circ}C$in 40 sec and was diluted with 20 ml Beltsville thawing solution at room temperature. Sperm were washed 2 times in mTLP-PVA and inseminated without preincubation after thawing. Oocytes were inseminated with $2{\times}10^7$/ml sperm concentration. Oocytes were coincubated for 6 h in 500 ${\mu}$l mTBM fertilization medium. At 6 h after IVF, oocytes were transferred into 500 ${\mu}$l NCSU-23 culture medium for further culture of 48 and 144 h. There were no significant differences in the semen volume, motility, normal acrosome morphology and sperm concentration of raw semen between A and B of Yorkshire boar. However, motility and normal acrosome of boar A were higher than those of boar B at 0.5, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 h incubations of frozen-thawed sperm. Testosterone concentration (3.75 ng/ml) of boar A was higher than that (2.34 ng/ml) of boar B. The rate of blastocyst formation (15.1%) of boar A was higher than that (10.4%) of boar B. In conclusion, serum testosterone concentration of boar showed very important role for the frozen-thawed sperm viability and the blastocyst formation of pig oocytes matured in vitro.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2010

Objectives: Likewise fresh cycle, it is also important to select right blastocysts for transfer in purpose of improving the pregnancy and implantation rates in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (ET) cycles. To investigate the relationship between the developmental velocity at the time of cryopreservation and pregnancy rates, we compared pregnancy rates between the day 5 cryopreservation group and the day 6 cryopreservation group. Methods: Transfers of frozen-thawed blastocysts which had been cryopreserved by vitrification on day 5 or day 6 were performed between January 2006 and June 2007. Ethylene glycol, DMSO, and pull and cut straws were used for vitrification and artificial shrinkage was done in expanded blastocysts. Thawing was performed on the day before transfer and thawed blastocysts were cultured in for 15~18 hrs in Quinn's blastocyct media. Blastocyst survival was assessed before transfer and post-thaw survival was defined as >50% of cells remaining intact and blastocoele re-expansion by the time of transfer. Results: Transfers of thawed blastocyst had been cryopreserved on day 5 were 52 cycles and 41 transfer cycles were cryopreserved on day 6. Patient characteristics, the number of transferred embryos and the survival rate of thawed blastocysts were not different in each cryopreservation day. But the biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and implantation rate were significantly high in transfer of frozen-thawed blastocyst which were cryopreserved on day 5. Conclusions: The clinical pregnancy and implantation rate of day-5 blastocyst showed significantly higher than those of day-6 blastocyst in frozen-ET cycles. This result indicated that developmental rate of blastocyst at cryopreservation time in frozen-thawed cycle is discriminative marker of pregnancy outcome as like in fresh cycle.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.394-400
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• 1998

Cryopreservation of embryos by vitrification is a simple method to preserve bovine embryos for subsequent embryo transfer, but embryonic viability after vitrification has been inconsistent and low compared with conventional slow freezing. The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of serum or serum albumin in a vitrification solution and epidermal growth factor(EGF) or fibroblast growth factor(FGF) on in vitro viability of bovine blastocysts frozen by vitrification. Bovine blastocysts were produced by in vitro maturation, fertilization of follicular oocytes and culture of embryos in a synthetic oviduct fluid medium(SOFM) containing BSA and 19 essential and nonessential amino acids. Blastocysts with excellent or good morphology were selected at 7 or 8 days after culture and utilized for vitrification. In experiment 1, blastocysts were vitrified in a solution containing semi-fetal calf serum(SFCS) or BSA(5 or 10mg/ml) and then their subsequent viabilities were examined by culturing thawed embryos in a SOFM containing BSA and 19 amino acids. Effect of EGF or FGF added to a SOFM containing polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) on the viability of vitrified-thawed blastocysts was investigated in experiment 2. BSA added at 5 or 10mg/ml to a vitrification solution showed significantly higher(p < 0.05) developmental rate to expanded and hatching blastocysts than SFCS, but there was no significant difference in the developmental rate to hatched blastocysts after thawing. Supplementation of a culture medium with EGF and/or FGF significantly increased(p < 0.05) embryo development to expanded blastocysts compared with control but showed no beneficial effect on the development to hatching or hatched blastocysts. Coculture of thawed embryos with granulosa cells in a TCM 199 containing 10% fetal calf serum(FCS) showed the highest developmental rate to expanded, hatching and hatched blastocysts among the groups tested. In conclusion, supplementation of a vitrification solution with BSA at 5mg/ml and culture of thawed blastocysts in a medium containing EGF and/or FGF can improve in vitro viability of bovine blastocysts frozen by vitrification.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.229-234
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• 1991

Thc chimeric morulae were produced following aggregation of the half embryos which were microsurgically bisected at 8-cell and early morula stage. Different phenotypic embryos were obtained by mating ICR female mice with ICR or CBA male mice. The early morula stage was thc desirable stage for the aggregation of mouse embryos after bisection. The post-thawed survival rates of bisected-aggregated embryos that developed into normal blastocyst after conventional freezing in DMSO and ethylene glycol were 30.5 and 32.896, respectively. One offspring was produced by transferring the 67 frozen-thawed bisected-aggregated embryos.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.36-39
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• 1985

This experiment was carried out to investigate the morphology of bovine embryos thawed after deep freezing at -196$^{\circ}C$ and the development of frozen-thawed embryos after in vitro culture in Ham's F-10 medium with 10% NBCS. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. The propotion of embryos which a, pp.ared mophologically normal was averaged 77.5% (79/102). 2. The morphologically normal rate of frozen-thawed blastocyst (78.6%) was higher than that of morula (76.7%), but there was no significant difference. 3. Normal development was observed in 20 of 68 embryos cultured for 24-72hr in medium and overall survival rate was 29.4%. 4. Survival rate fo blastocyst (33.3%) was higher than that of morula (25.7%).

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.19-22
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• 2016

This study was conducted to improve sensory quality of Jokbal (Korean Pettitoes) made from frozen pig feet by addition of herbal mixture (glasswort, raspberry and Sansa powders). After adding herbal mixture, lipid oxidation (2-thiobarbituric acid values, TBARS), sensory property, and textural property were determined. Herbs were individually added into cooking soup at concentration of 6% (low concentration treatment, LCT) or 12% (high concentration treatment, HCT) of raw pig feet. Refrigerated pig feet were used as control. Thawed feet without any herbal mixture were used as freezing treatment (FT). TBARS in LCT or HCT were lower than that in FT, and showed the similar to that in Control. Addition of the herbal mixture was effective in improving the flavor and textural property of thawed feet by inhibiting lipid oxidation and protein denaturation in a dose-dependent manner.