• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.3.1-3.9
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• 2023

The efficiency of somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT) in pigs is low and requires enhancement. We identified the most efficient method for zona pellucida (ZP) removal and blastomere aggregation in pigs and investigated whether the aggregation of NT and parthenogenetic activation (PA) of blastomeres could reduce embryonic apoptosis and improve the quality of NT-derived embryos by investigating. Embryonic developmental competence after ZP removal using acid Tyrode's solution or protease (pronase E). The embryonic developmental potential of NT-derived blastomeres was also investigated using well-of-the-well or phytohemagglutinin-L. We analyzed apoptosis in aggregate-derived blastocysts. The aggregation rate of protease-treated embryos was lower than that of Tyrode's solution-treated embryos (69.2% vs. 88.3%). No significant difference was observed between phytohemagglutinin-L and well-of-the-well (35.7%-38.5%). However, 2P1N showed a higher number of blastocysts compared to 3N (73.8% vs. 24.3%) and an increased blastocyst diameter compared to the control and 1P2N (274 ㎛ vs. 230-234 ㎛). In blastomeres aggregated using phytohemagglutinin-L, the apoptotic cell ratio was significantly higher in 1P2N and 3N than in 3P (5.91%-6.46% vs. 2.94%, respectively). Our results indicate that aggregation of one NT embryo with two PA embryos improved the rate of blastocysts with increased blastocyst diameter.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.105-113
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• 2011

The present study investigated the nuclear remodeling, development potential with telomerase activity and transcription level of X-linked genes (ANT3, HPRT, MeCP2, RPS4X, XIAP, XIST and ZFX) in the bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos using two different fusion and activation methods. Female adult fibroblasts were injected into perivitelline space of in vitro matured oocytes. The oocyte-nucleus complexes were fused and followed by immediately either activated (Group 1), or activated at 1 h post-fusion (hpf) (Group 2), respectively. The incidence of normal premature chromosome condensation (PCC) at 1 hpf was slightly increased in the Group 2, compared to those of Group 1, but there was no significant (p<0.05) difference. The incidence of normal pronucleus (PN) and chromosome spread at 5 and 18 hpf were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the Group 2 than those of Group 1. The cleavage rate to 2-cell stage, developmental rate to blastocyst stage, and the mean number of total and ICM cell numbers were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the Group 2, compared to those of Group 1. Level of telomerase activity was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the SCNT blastocysts of Group 2, compared to those of Group 1. Transcript levels of HPRT, MeCP2 and XIST were not significantly (p<0.05) different between blastocysts of Group 1 and 2. However, transcript level of ANT3, RPS4X, XIAP and ZFX were significantly (p<0.05) up-regulated in the SCNT blastocysts of Group 2, compared to those of Group 1. Taken together, it is concluded that oocyte activation at 1 hpf induces the enhanced developmental potential by efficient nuclear remodeling and subsequent facilitation of the nuclear reprogramming of bovine SCNT embryos.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2017

This study was conducted to determine the effects of biophoton treatment during in vitro maturation (IVM) and/or in vitro culture (IVC) on oocyte maturation and embryonic development in pigs. An apparatus capable of generating homogeneous biophoton energy emissions was placed in an incubator. Initially, immature pig oocytes were matured in the biophoton-equipped incubator in medium 199 supplemented with cysteine, epidermal growth factor, insulin, and gonadotrophic hormones for 22 h, after which they were matured in hormone-free medium for an additional 22 hr. Next, IVM oocytes were induced for parthenogenesis (PA) or provided as cytoplasts for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Treatment of oocytes with biophoton energy during IVM did not improve cumulus cell expansion, nuclear maturation, intraoocyte glutathione content, or mitochondrial distribution of oocytes. However, biophoton-treated oocytes showed higher (p < 0.05) blastocyst formation after PA than that in untreated oocytes (50.7% vs. 42.7%). In an additional experiment, SCNT embryos produced from biophoton-treated oocytes showed a greater (p < 0.05) number of cells in blastocysts (52.6 vs. 43.9) than that in untreated oocytes. Taken together, our results demonstrate that biophoton treatment during IVM improves developmental competence of PA- and SCNT-derived embryos.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 2021

We examine the effect of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor treatment time on the in vitro development of porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos. Porcine SCNT embryos were classified by four groups following treatment time of ER stress inhibitor, tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA; 100 µM); 1) non-treatment group (control), 2) treatment during micromanipulation process and for 3 h after fusion (NT+3 h group), 3) treatment only during in vitro culture after fusion (IVC group), and 4) treatment during micromanipulation process and in vitro culture (NT+IVC group). SCNT embryos were cultured for six days to examine the X-box binding protein 1 (Xbp1) splicing levels, the expression levels of ER stress-associated genes, oxidative stress-related genes, and apoptosis-related genes in blastocysts, and in vitro development. There was no significant difference in Xbp1 splicing level among all groups. Reduced expression of some ER stress-associated genes was observed in the treatment groups. The oxidative stress and apoptosis-related genes were significantly lower in all treatment groups than control (p<0.05). Although blastocyst development rates were not different among all groups (17.5% to 21.7%), the average cell number in blastocysts increased significantly in NT+3 h (48.5±2.3) and NT+IVC (47.7±2.4) groups compared to those of control and IVC groups (p<0.05). The result of this study suggests that the treatment of ER stress inhibitor on SCNT embryos from the micromanipulation process can improve the reprogramming efficiency of SCNT embryos by inhibiting the ER and oxidative stresses that may occur early in the SCNT process.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.287-291
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• 1994

In order to elucidate the effect of abscisic acid (ABA) on the abnormality of somatic embryos, somatic embryos were induced from embryogenic cell clumps derived from cotyledon segment of Aralia cordata. When embryogenic cell clumps were pretreated medium containing 0.2 mg/L ABA for 3 weeks before transferring to MS basal medium, the frequency of embryos with normal cotyledons enhanced 68% as compared with control. However when clumps pretreated in medium containing 0.2 mg/L ABA were transferred to medium containing 0.1 mg/L ABA, the Sequency decreased to about 29%. In the case of globular embryos cultures in medium containing various concentrations of ABA (0.01 to 1.0mg/L), the frequency of dicotyledonary embryo formation decreased propotionally to ABA concentration. Also, when somatic embryos at various stages were cultured in medium containing ABA, those with polycotyledons appeared at higher frequency.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.181-187
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• 2007

Orostachys japonicus A. Berger is a Perennial herbaceous plant which has been traditionally used as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat hepatitis and as an anticancer agent. The objective of this study was 1) to establish and proliferate in vitro plant of O. japonicus 2) to induce indirect somatic embryogenesis from O. japonicus. General calli and embryogenic calli in all ranges of 2,4-D and BA combination, were induced and were best at 22% (embryogenic cell) in 5.0 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.5 mg/L BA combination. Embryogenic cell line was maintained by subculture at 2 week intervals and transferred to solid and liquid medium for embryo formation. In solid medium culture, globular and heart shaped embryos were observed in MS medium containing 5.0 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.5 mg/L BA combination. The number of embryos was 6.5 per 0.5 g cell, and then the immature embryos transferred to MS basal medium for embryo development. In a suspension culture of embryogenic cells, globular and heart shaped embryos were emerged in MS medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.3 mg/L BA combination after 10 days of incubation. The embryo formation rate was about 33% by suspension culture. The ratio of embryo germination was 60.9%, on the other side, the root formation rate was 74.3% in 1/2 MS continuously.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.135-138
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• 2005

Embryogenic callus was obtained from cotyledonary explants of Codonopsis lanceloata on Murashige & Skoog's medium supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-D. Suspension cultures of the embryogenic calli were grown on a shaker at 100 strokes/min, and then the calli were subcultured for 2 weeks in 2,4-D-free medium to produce somatic embryo. In somatic embryos at the globular stage, cotyledon initials began to differentiate themselves in the near distal end of the procambial strand. Dicotyledons, tricotyledon, tetracotyledon and fused cotyledon were differentiated from the distal ends of two, three, four and circular procambial strands, respectively. Nearly circular procambial strand in lower hypocotyls were independently differentiated into two, three, four procambial tissues at cotyledonary node and cotyledons to form somatic embryos with dicotyledon, tricotyledon, tetracotyledon. If the distal subepidermal cells of globular embryo exclusively became cotyledon initials, the torpedo or cotyledonary embryo was characterized by somatic embryos with fused cotyledon.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.585-592
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• 2017

Objective: The present study investigates pre- and post-implantation developmental competence of nuclear-transferred porcine embryos derived from male and female fetal fibroblasts. Methods: Male and female fetal fibroblasts were transferred to in vitro-matured enucleated oocytes and in vitro and in vivo developmental competence of reconstructed embryos was investigated. And, a total of 6,789 female fibroblast nuclear-transferred embryos were surgically transferred into 41 surrogate gilts and 4,746 male fibroblast nuclear-transferred embryos were surgically transferred into 25 surrogate gilts. Results: The competence to develop into blastocysts was not significantly different between the sexes. The mean cell number of female and male cloned blastocysts obtained by in vivo culture ($143.8{\pm}10.5$ to $159.2{\pm}14.8$) was higher than that of in vitro culture of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) groups ($31.4{\pm}8.3$ to $33.4{\pm}11.1$). After embryo transfer, 5 pregnant gilts from each treatment delivered 15 female and 22 male piglets. The average birth weight of the cloned piglets, gestation length, and the postnatal survival rates were not significantly different (p<0.05) between sexes. Conclusion: The present study found that the sex difference of the nuclear donor does not affect the developmental rate of porcine SCNT embryos. Furthermore, postnatal survivability of the cloned piglets was not affected by the sex of the donor cell.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.18-18
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• 2001

Despite of importance of integrated events of nucleus and microtubule remodeling in nuclear transferred embryos with somatic cells, little information is available on this subject. In this study we configured chromatin and microtubule organization following somatic cell nuclear transfer in pre- and non-activated bovine oocytes in order to clearify nuclear remodeling process and to demonstrate centrosome inheritance during nuclear transfer. The cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected from slaughterhouse and were matured in vitro for 20 h in TCM 199 supplemented hormone. Matured bovine oocytes were enucleated by aspirating the frist polar body and metaphase chromatin using a beveled pipette. Bovine fibroblast cells were fused into enucleated oocyte by electrical stimulation. Reconstructed oocytes were activated with ionomycine and 6-dimethylaminopurin, and then cultured in CRlaa medium. The organization of nuclear and microtubules were observed using laser-scanning confocal microscopy. At 1 hour after fusion, microtubule aster was seen near the transferred nucleus in most oocytes regardless activation condition. While most of fibroblast nuclei remodeled to premature chromosome condensation (PCC) and to the two masses of chromosome in non-activated oocytes, a few number of fibloblasts went to PCC and multiple pronuclear like structures in activated oocytes. Microtubular spindle was seen around condensed chromosome. Gamma-tubulin was detected in the vicinity of condensed chromosome, suggesting this is a transient spindle. The spindle seperated nucleus into two masses of chromatin which developed to the pronuclear like structures. Two pronuclear like structures were than apposed by microtubular aster and formed one syngamy like nuclear structure at 15 h following nuclear transfer. At 17 to 18 h after fusion, two centrosomes were seen near the nucleus, which nucleates micrtubules for two cell cleavage. While 31% of reconstructed oocytes in non-activated condition developed to morulae and blastocysts, a few reconstructed oocytes in pre-activated condition developed to the blastocyst. These results suggested introduction of foreign centrosome during nuclear transfer, which appeared to give an important role for somatic cell nuclear reprogramming.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 2002

This study was conducted to investigate the milk quality produced from dairy farms in Jeju province and to analyze the variety of pathogenes and the number of somatic cells in the milk. Data were collected from 262 lactating cows from 8 farms of three regions and the results obtained are summarized as follows. 1. The average daily milk yields and milk fat contents from June and October were 22.3 kg and 3.7%, respectively. 2. The average number of bacterial counts in raw milk was 1.5${\times}10^4$/ml, but that in farm A was over 3.0${\times}10^4$/ml. 3. The somatic cell counts were 2.5${\times}10^5$/ml in average and those in farm G and H were higher than those in other farms. Their distribution in 262 lactating cows from June to October was as follows; less than 2.0${\times}10^4$ /ml in 68.8% of cows, 2.0-5.0${\times}10^4$/ml in 18.8% of cows and more than 5.0${\times}10^4$/ml in 12.4% of cows. 4. Of the 113 isolates (compartments of cow udder) from mastitic milk, Staphylococcus aureus was found in 47, Streptococcus ogalatiae in 17 and Bacillus in 12. 5. The average monthly income of the farmers was 407 thousand won/head, and that in farm A or E was higher than that of farm H (456-475 thousand won vs. 314 thousand won) In conclusion, to improve income dairy farmers should reduce the somatic cell counts in the milk and mastitis infection through regular disinfection and inspection.