• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of osmolarity and vitamins on the in vitro development of embryos. Bovine embryo that had been matured and fertilized in vitro were cultured in simple, chemically defined, protein free medium (mTLP-PVA). When the osmolarity of the medium supplemented 0.35 mM phos-phate and 19 amino acid was changed by NaCI concentration, significantly(p<0.05) higher pro-portion of 1-cell embryos in the medium of 265 or 290 mOsm developed to the morula (32 ~ 35%) and blastocyst(24 ~ 28%) stage. When embryos were transferred to fresh medium containing 5.56mM glucose at 120hrs post-insemination, the highest proportion of embryos developed to mor-ula(40%) and blastocyst(32%) stages at 290 mOsm(p<0.05), although the value in morulae was not significantly different with that(35%) at 315 mOsm. Vitamins in presence of glutamine and amino acids had no beneficial effects on the development of 1-cell embryos to the blastocyst.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2009

This study was performed to confirm the microtubule assemblies and methylation patterns of porcine IVF and parthenogenetic embryos. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected and matured in vitro for 42 hr. Oocytes were fertilized by prepared fresh sperm or activated parthenogenetically by exposure to electric stimulation and 6-dimethylaminopurine. Porcine IVF and parthenogenetic embryos were cultured in vitro for 6 days. Embryos were stained by immunofluorescence staining method to observe the dynamic of nucleus and microtubules in the first mitotic phase and the methylation patterns in different developmental stages. After then, samples were confirmed and analyzed through a laser-scanning confocal microscope. IVF embryos had a centrosome originated from sperms, which was shown a $\gamma$-tubulin spot. However, $\gamma$-tubulin spot was not observed in parthenogenetic embryos. A lower methylation level was observed in IVF embryos compared to parthenogenetic ones at the morula and blastocyst stages. In conclusion, it is considered that microtubule assemblies and genetic regulation mechanism differ between parthenogenetic and IVF embryos.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.263-269
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• 2003

Morphological development of eggs, larvae and juvenile of the sunrise sculpin, Pseudoblennius cottoides were studed in the field and laboratory at the coastal Dolsan-do, Yeosu-shi from October, 2000 to April, 2001 Egg mass of Pseudoblennius cottoides in peribranchial cavity of Halocynthia hilgendorfi, were observed during late fall to winter in the study area. Fertiliged eggs were spherical in shape, demersal, adhesive, transparent and greenwish yellow color, measuring 1.84 mm (1.83-1.87 mm) in diameter. There were numerous and 17 (15-20) various-sized oil globules accounted in the yolk. Granular materials formed a mass in the yolk. Fertiliged eggs hatched at 301 hr 20 min after morula stage. Newly hatched larvae 6.31 mm (6.24-6.37 mm) in total length (TL), had a large yolk. At 3 days after hatching, the larvae, 6.77 mm (6.69-7.14 mm) in TL came out through the excurrent siphon of Halocynthia hilgendorfi. At 13 days after hatching, the larvae 12.59 mm (12.42-12.63 mm) in TL transformed to postlarval stage. At 32 days after hatching, postlarvae of TL 19.18 mm (19.01-19.46 mm) have reached the juvenile stage.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2015

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of laser-assisted zona thinning (LAZT) at one or four-points on the blastocyst formation and hatching process in mice with respect to female age. Methods: Eight-cell or morula embryos collected from superovulated C57BL female mice with different ages (6-11 and 28-31 weeks) were treated with LAZT at one-point (LAZT1) or four-points (LAZT4). The zona pellucida was thinned to more than 70% of its initial thickness by making two holes of $15-20{\mu}m$. Results: In the young mice, LAZT resulted in a significant increase in early hatching and hatching rates compared to the control group (p<0.05). However, in the old mice, LAZT significantly increased blastocyst formation as well as early hatching and hatching compared to the controls (p<0.05). These effects were more remarkable in LAZT4 than in LAZT1 and in aged mice than in young ones. Conclusion: These results show that multi-point LAZT leads to a significant improvement of blastocyst formation and hatching in mice compared to controls.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.189-196
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• 2019

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effects of different oxygen conditions (20% [high O₂], 5% [low O₂] and 5% decreased to 2% [dynamic O₂]) on mouse pre- and peri-implantation development using a novel double-channel gas supply (DCGS) incubator (CNC Biotech Inc.) to alter the oxygen concentration during in vitro culture. Methods: The high-O₂ and low-O₂ groups were cultured from the one-cell to the blastocyst stage under 20% and 5% oxygen concentrations, respectively. In the dynamic-O₂ group, mouse embryos were cultured from the one-cell to the morula stage under 5% O₂ for 3 days, followed by culture under 2% O₂ to the blastocyst stage. To evaluate peri-implantation development, the blastocysts from the three groups were individually transferred to a fibronectin-coated dish and cultured to the outgrowth stage in droplets. Results: The blastocyst formation rate was significantly higher in the low-O₂ and dynamic-O₂ groups than in the high-O₂ group. The total cell number was significantly higher in the dynamic-O₂ group than in the low-O₂ and high-O₂ groups. Additionally, the apoptotic index was significantly lower in the low-O₂ and dynamic-O₂ groups than in the high-O₂ group. The trophoblast outgrowth rate and spread area were significantly higher in the low-O₂ and dynamic-O₂ groups than in the high-O₂ group. Conclusion: Our results showed that a dynamic oxygen concentration (decreasing from 5% to 2%) had beneficial effects on mouse pre- and peri-implantation development. Optimized, dynamic changing of oxygen concentrations using the novel DCGS incubator could improve the developmental competence of in vitro cultured embryos in a human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer program.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2013

In the present study, we monitored the early development of Saccostrea kegakia subtropical oyster species distributing on rocky intertidal off the northern Jeju Island using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The female oyster collected in early August, 2012 were fully mature exhibiting relatively small eggs ($46.5{\pm}1.4{\mu}m$ in diameter) in the gonad, while testis of the mature male oysters were filled with fully developed sperms of 36.9 ${\mu}m$ in length. The fertilized eggs developed into 2-cell stage with polar body after 1 hr 20 min of fertilization, then followed by Morula stage (3 hr 20 min), Blastula stage (4 hr 50 min), Gastrula stage (7 hr), and trochophore larvae stage (9 hr 30 min). The observed early development of S. kegaki in this study was similar the early development of other oysters, although size of the fertilized eggs were somewhat smaller.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.149-160
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• 1980

The effects of mutagens, MMS and captan, on the patterns of proteins synthesized during the early developmental stages in mice were analyzed using two-dimensional electrophoresis. Three classes of proteins were observed in terms of synthetic pattern during the preimplantation stages. The first class is synthesized from the m-RNA, which was made and preserved throughout oogenesis and activated at the fertilization. The synthesis of these proteins did not seem to be influenced by MMS. The second class, which may be stagespecific proteins synthesized by newly transcribed m-RNA, was selectively inhibited by MMS. The third class, the synthesis of which is also suppressed by MMS, is the proteins synthesized by the m-RNA transcribed in augmented fashion. While MMS inhibits protein synthesis dependent on thenew transcription, this mutagen enhances a synthesis of a few proteins which were not observed in the untreated embryos. Captan did not affect protein synthesis at morula stage.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1057-1064
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• 2005

Apoptosis may occur in early embryos where the execution of essential developmental events has failed, and gangliosides, sialic acid-conjugated glycosphingolipids, are proposed to regulate cell differentiation and growth. To evaluate the regulatory roles of ganglioside GM3 in early embryonic development, this study examined its expressional patterns in apoptotic cells during early embryonic development in mice. Pre-implanted embryos were obtained by in vitro fertilization, which were treated at the 4-cell stage with three the apoptosis inducers, actinomycin D, camptothecin and cycloheximide, for 15 h. All three inducers significantly increased the percentage of apoptotic cells, as measured using a TUNEL method, but remarkably reduced the total cell numbers. The numbers of morula and blastocyst stages were significantly decreased by treatment of the embryos with the three apoptosis inducers compared with the control, with a similar result also observed in the number of blastomeres. Staining of early embryos with Hoechst 33342 revealed a significant percentage of apoptotic nuclei. Prominent immunofluo­rescence microscopy revealed a significant difference in the ganglioside GM3 expression in apoptotic embryos compared with the control, and RT-PCR also demonstrated a dramatic increase in ganglioside GM3 synthase mRNA in the apoptotic embryos. These results suggest that ganglioside GM3 may be pathophysiologically implicated in the regulation of early embryonic development through an apoptotic mechanism.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2001

Present study was aimed to verify the role of insulin and TNF-$\alpha$ in development of preimplantation embryos. Mouse morula were cultured for 40 hr in the presence or absence of insulin(400 ng/ml) and TNF-$\alpha$ (50 ng/ml). The morphological development, cell number of blastomeres per blastocyst, and mitogen activated protein kinase(MAPK) activity were examined. The developmental rate and cell number per embryo were the highest in insulin treatment group and the lowest in TNF-$\alpha$ treatment group. There was no significant difference in developmental rate between control and insulin plus TNF-$\alpha$ group. Taken together, it suggested that TNF-$\alpha$ impaired embryonic development and that insulin rescued developmental impairment imposed by TNF-$\alpha$. In blastocysts, insulin treatment significantly increased MAPK activity. TNF-$\alpha$ decreased the MAPK activity in a concentration-dependent manner. In the TNF-$\alpha$(50 ng/ml) -primed embryos, activation of MAPK by insulin was attenuated. In conclusion, these results suggest that there was a cross talk between insulin and TNF-$\alpha$ by means of activation of MAPK in preimplantation embryos and that insulin might rescue damage of embryos exposed to TNF-$\alpha$.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 2014

Adaptive development of early stage embryo is well established and recently it is explored that the mammalian embryos also have adaptive ability to the stressful environment. However, the mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, to evaluate the possible role of aquaporin in early embryo developmental adaptation, the expression of aquaporin (AQP) 5 gene which is detected during early development were examined by the environmental condition. To compare expression patterns between in vivo and in vitro, we conducted quantitative RT-PCR and analyzed localization of the AQP5 by whole mount immunofluorescence. At in vivo condition, Aqp5 expressed in oocyte and in all the stages of preimplantation embryo. It showed peak at 2-cell stage and decreased continuously until morula stage. At in vitro condition, Aqp5 expression pattern was similar with in vivo embryos. It expressed both at embryonic genome activation phase and second mid-preimplantation gene activation phase, but the fold changes were modified between in vivo embryos and in vitro embryos. During in vivo development, AQP5 was mainly localized in apical membrane of blastomeres of 4-cell and 8-cell stage embryos, and then it was localized in cytoplasm. However, the main localization area of AQP5 was dramatically shifted after 8-cell stage from cytoplasm to nucleus by in vitro development. Those results explore the modification of Aqp5 expression levels and location of its final products by in vitro culture. It suggests that expression of Aqp5 and the roles of AQP5 in homeostasis can be modulated by in vitro culture, and that early stage embryos can develop successfully by themselves adapting to their condition through modulation of the specific gene expression and localization.