• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.277-282
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• 2015

Cryopreservation affects osmotic tolerance and intracellular ion concentration through changes in expression levels of water and ion channels. Control of these changes is important for cell survival after cryopreservation. Relatively little is known about changes in $K^+$ channel expression compared to water channel expression. This study was performed to investigate changes in TASK-2 channel (KCNK5: potassium channel, subfamily K, member 5), a member of two-pore domain $K^+$ channel family, in cryopreserved mouse ovaries. Cryopreservation increased TASK-2 mRNA expression in mouse ovaries. In addition, TASK-2 protein expression was upregulated in vitrified and slowly frozen ovaries. TASK-2 protein was expressed in all area of granulosa cells that surround the oocyte within the follicle, except nucleus. Viability of cells overexpressed with TASK-2 was higher than that of vector-transfected cells. Our results found that TASK-2 expression was increased by cryopreservation and overexpression of TASK-2 decreased cryopreservation-induced cell death. These results suggest that TASK-2 upregulation might reduce cryodamage.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.76-86
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• 2019

Objective: This study was performed to explore the possibility that each oocyte and its surrounding cumulus cells might have different genetic expression patterns that could affect human reproduction. Methods: Differential gene expression analysis was performed for 10 clusters of cumulus cells obtained from 10 cumulus-oocyte complexes from 10 patients. Same procedures related to oocyte maturation, microinjection, and microarray analyses were performed for each group of cumulus cells. Two differential gene expression analyses were performed: one for the outcome of clinical pregnancy and one for the outcome of live birth. Results: Significant genes resulting from these analyses were selected and the top 20 affected pathways in each group were analyzed. Circadian entrainment is determined to be the most affected pathway for clinical pregnancy, and proteoglycans in cancer pathway is the most affected pathway for live birth. Circadian entrainment is also amongst the 12 pathways that are found to be in top 20 affected pathways for both outcomes, and has both lowest p-value and highest number of times found count. Conclusion: Although further confirmatory studies are necessary, findings of this study suggest that these pathways, especially circadian entrainment in cumulus cells, may be essential for embryo development and pregnancy.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2022

Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) is known as an important biomarker for fetal abnormality during first trimester and has a pivotal role in follicle development and corpus luteum formation. And also, it is being revealed that an expression of PAPP-A in various cells and tissues such as cancer and lesion area. PAPP-A is the major IGF binding protein-4 (IGFBP-4) protease. Cleavage of IGFBP-4 results in loss of binding affinity for IGF, causing increased IGF bioavailability for proliferation, survival, and migration. Additionally, PAPP-A can be used as a promising therapeutic target for healthy longevity. Despite growing interest, almost nothing is known about how PAPP-A expression is regulated in any tissue. This review will focus on what is currently known about the zinc metalloproteinase, PAPP-A, and its role in cells and tissues. PAPP-A is expressed in proliferating cells such as fetus in uterus, granulosa cells in follicle, dermis in wound, cancer cells, and Sertoli cells in testis. They have common characteristics of proliferation faster than normal cells with stimulating IGFs action and inhibiting IGFBPs. The PAPP-A functions and expression studies in livestock have not yet been conducted much. Further studies are needed to use PAPP-A as a marker for healthy longevity in animal science.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2011

BCL-2 family essential proteins to play a pivotal role to perform in apoptosis signaling pathways and essential proteins for the regulation of cell death. BCL2L10 protein is a member of BCL-2 family and it regulates both anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic function of specific tissue or cell line. BCL2L10 of function and expression is not reported in ovary cell lines. In this study we reported that BCL2L10 were significant expression of KGN cell line. Ectopic expression of BCL2L10 induced cell death, and its cells killing effect was blocked by pan-caspase inhibitor of the Z-VAD-fmk. Ectopic expression of BCL2L10 protein led to the activation of caspase 9 and caspase 3, suggesting apoptotic cell death, and confocal microscopic analyses showed that BCL2L10 was partially localized in mitochondria. Thus, we provide a novel function of BCL2L10 in KGN cells, which was involved in the intrinsic cell death pathway.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2007

A histological study on development and transformation of the oocyte' follicle cell for Korean four sillurid fishes, Liobagrus obesus, L. mediadiposalis, Pseudobagrus koreanus, and P. brevicorpus was performed by light and electron microscopes. The follicular layer surrounding the oocyte consisted of an outer theca cell and an inner follicle cell (granulosa cell). The follicle cells of the oocyte were flatten cells at early oocyte but during vitellogenesis they were transformed it to a single layer of cuboidal cell, then to a single columnar cell layer, and finally to a layer covered with a substance secreted by themselves. Although the development and transformation of the follicle cells was similar to four species, the secreted materials, called an adhesive membrane, were divided into two types in its appearance and nature. Firstly, a jelly coat-like type was found in L. obesus and L. mediadiposalis, which they are presumed to be polysaccharides and mucoproteins in its nature and secondly, a granular type in P. koreanus and P. brevicopus, being mucoprotein. A zona radiata with about $0.6{\sim}3.1{\mu}m$ thin was present below the adhesive material secreted by the transformed-follicle cell's activity. The zona radiata was composed of two layers, a thin externa and a thick interna.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 1997

This study was designed to investigate the effects of superovulation on the growing and mature follicles following gonadotrophin treatments in mature rat by immunohistochemical methods. Eighteen mature rats (Sprague-Duwely, 190~230gm) were randomly alloted into 3 groups. One group was control group, another FSH-treated group was injected intramuscularly with 0.5 units of follicular stimulating hormone(FSH) / rat, and third PMS and HCG-treated group was injected intramuscularly with 20~25IU of pregnant mare serum(PMS) / rat and then at the 48 hrs later, with 20~25IU of human chorionic gonadotropin(HCG) / rat. Half the number of rats were administrated intraperitoneally with bromodeoxyuridine(Brdur, 0.2mg/gm BW once) at 2 hours before exanguination and the remainder of rats were sacrified without Brdur administration. The investigation by immunohistochemical methods using paraffin sections of ovaries was performed by using anti-Brdur antibody and PCNA(proliferating cell nuclear antigen) antibody for labeling proliferating cells in follicles. In immunohistochemical findings, follicles squeezed by peripheral corpus luteum or follicles large follicles with loosly and irregularly distributed granulosa cells and although with compacted granulosa cells, middle follicles with dilated round or oval follicular antrum were confirmed as atretic follicles. The proportions of atretic follicles in control group were 29.8%, 21.7% and 14.2% respectivley at large, middle and small follicles and mean proportions of these all 3 grade follicles were 26.7%. The proportions of atretic follicles in FSH-treated group were 35.4%, 24.9% and 10.4% respectively at large, middle and small follicles and mean proportions of these all 3 grade follicles were 28.1%. The proportions of atretic follicles in PMS and HCG-treated group were 44.7%, 24.0% and 12.7% respectively at large, middle and small follicles, and mean proportions of these all 3 grade follicles were 29.7%. The above findings reveal that the group with higher proportion of atretic follicles were ordered as large, middle and small follicles in size, and these proportions were increased in hormone treated two groups with more number of more growing and mature follicles when compared with control group.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 1990

These studies were carried out to investigate the effects of fetal calf serum(FCS), estrous porcine serum(EPS), porcine follicular fluid(PFF), hormone and matured cumulus cell(MCC) on in vitro maturation and fertilization of porcine follicular oocytes. The ovaries and testes were obtianed from slaughtered Landrace sow and boars, respectively. The follicular oocytes surrounded with cumulus cells were recovered by aspirating follicular fluid from the visible follicles of diameter 3~5 mm and the semen were prepared from boar's epididymal cauda. The follicular oocytes were cultured in TCM-199 medium containing hormones, FCS, EPS, PFF and MCC for 48hrs. in a incubator with 5% CO2 in air at 36$^{\circ}C$ and then matured oocytes were again cultured for 18~20 hrs. with $1.5\times$106/ml motile capacitated sperm in the modified Tyroide solution containing 100$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of heparin. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows : 1. The maturation and fertilization rate of the follicular oocytes, cultured in the TCM-199 medium supplemented with 10% FCS and PMSG＋HCG were 55.6~64.5% and 33.3~37.1%, respectively. 2. The maturation and fertilization rate of the follicular oocytes cultured in the TCM-199 medium supplemented with 20% EPS and PMSG＋HCG were 50.0~55.0% and 30.3~33.3%, respectively. 3. The maturation rate(59.0~64.2%) and fertilization rate(34.8~39.3%) of follicular oocytes cultured in TCM-199 medium supplemented 20% FCS and 50% PFF were higher than those of follicular oocytes cultured in TCM-199 medium supplemented with 5%, 10% and 15% FCS and 10% and 50% PFF. 4. The maturation rate(60.0%) and fertilization rate(40.0%) of follicular oocytes cultured in TCM-199 medium supplemented with 20% FCS and granulosa cell (1$\times$106/ml) were significantly higher than those of fiollicular oocytes cultured in TCM-199 medium supplemented with 5%, 10% and 15% FCS and granulosa cell.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1574-1579
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• 2006

This study was performed to determine the developmental potentials of nuclear transfer (NT) embryos using life-span extended cells transfected with a foreign gene as donor cells. A life-span extended bovine embryonic fibroblast cell line was transfected with an expression vector in which the human type II collagen (BOMAR) and ear fibroblasts were used as a donor cell. Cytogenetic analysis was performed to analyze the chromosomal abnormality of donor cells. The fusion rate of 1.8 kV/cm for $15{\mu}sec$ given twice was significantly higher than that of other groups (p<0.05) and the embryos lysed were significantly higher after 1.8 kV/cm for $20{\mu}sec$ given once compared to other groups (p<0.01). The blastocyst development in the ear cell group was statistically significant compared to both BOMAR groups (p<0.01). Both BOMAR groups cultured more than 40 passages (>40 passages) had a lower number of chromosomes; however, fresh granulosa cell (GC) and BOMAR groups cultured less than 20 passages had normal chromosome numbers. Both >40 passages BOMAR groups had numerous obscure debris in metaphase spreads. The transfected foreign gene was expressed in all BOMAR groups, but not in the GC group. Based on these results, the lower developmental potential of NT embryos using life-span extended donor cells transfected with a foreign gene might be a cause of chromosomal abnormality in donor cells.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.177-185
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• 2020

Although many aquaporin (AQP) transcripts have been demonstrated to express in the female reproductive tract, the defined localizations and functions of AQP subtype proteins remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the expression of AQP1, AQP3, AQP5, AQP6, and AQP9 proteins in female reproductive tract of mouse and characterized their precise localizations at the cellular and subcellular levels. Immunofluorescence analyses for AQP1, AQP3, AQP6, and AQP9 showed that these proteins were abundantly expressed in female reproductive tract and that intense immunoreactivities were observed in mucosa epithelial cells with a subtype-specific pattern. The most abundant aquaporin in both vagina and uterine cervix was AQP3. Each of AQP1, AQP3, AQP6, and AQP9 exhibited its distinct distribution in stratified squamous or columnar epithelial cells. AQP9 expression was predominant in oviduct and ovary. AQP1, AQP3, AQP6, and AQP9 proteins were mostly seen in apical membrane of ciliated epithelial cells of the oviduct as well as in both granulosa and theca cells of ovarian follicles. Most of AQP subtypes were also expressed in surface epithelial cells and glandular cells of endometrium in the uterus, but their expression levels were relatively lower than those observed in the vagina, uterine cervix, oviduct and ovary. This is the first study to investigate the expression and localization of 5 AQP subtype proteins simultaneously in female reproductive tract of mouse. Our results suggest that AQP subtypes work together to transport water and glycerol efficiently across the mucosa epithelia for lubrication, proliferation, energy metabolism and pH regulation in female reproductive tract.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.57-67
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• 1983

The present study was carried out to observe the histopathological changes in the mammary gland of lactating rats and rabbits injected with dexamethasone. White rats were intramuscularly injected with 0.25mg, 0.5mg or 1.0mg of dexamethasone sodium phosphate (containing $9{\alpha}$-fluoro-$16{\alpha}$-methylprednisolone, 5.0mg/ml) daily for 3 to 10 days on the 3rd day after parturition and white rabbits were intramammary infused with 4mg or 20mg of dexamethasone daily for 4 days on 7th day after parturition. The histopathological changes of the mammary glands, ovaries and adrenal glands of rats and rabbits were observed with light microscope. In the mammary glands of rats, the microscopic findings encountered were decrease of the milk in the alveolar lumina, necrosis and desquamation of epithelial cells, atrophy of alveoli, proliferation of fibroblasts and thickness of alveolar walls, destruction of alveoli, presence of fat droplets within the glandular epithelial cells, infiltration of mononuclear cells and proliferation of adipose tissue, which were relative to the dose and duration of injection. Especially, in the cases of the administration of large doses or long duration, there were severe fibrosis and focal necrosis of glandular tissue. In the mammary glands of rabbits, the morphological changes were similar to those findings in the rats. The milk in the alveolar lumina was decreased gradually according to the dose and duration of injection, while milk fat concentration regarded to increase. In the histological findings of ovaries, necrosis of granulosa cellos, vacuolization and necrosis of luteal cells, atrophy and necrotic foci in the corpora lutes were observed. In the adrenal glands, hyperemia, hemorrhage, vacuolization of adrenal cortical cells, necrotic foci and atrophy of adrenal cortex were observed.