• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.243-249
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• 2015

Background: Anticancer agents induce a variety of adverse effects when administered to cancer patients. Busulfan is a known antileukemia agent. When administered for treatment of leukemia in young patients, busulfan could cause damage to the male reproductive system as one of its adverse effects, resulting in sterility. Methods: We investigated the effects of Korean Red Ginseng extract (KRGE) on busulfan-induced damage and/or dysfunction of the male reproductive system. Results: We found that administration of busulfan to mice: decreased testis weight; caused testicular histological damage; reduced the total number of sperm, sperm motility, serum testosterone concentration; and eventually, litter size. Preadministration of KRGE partially attenuated various busulfan-induced damages to the male reproductive system. These results indicate that KRGE has a protective effect against busulfan-induced damage to the male reproduction system. Conclusion: The present study shows a possibility that KRGE could be applied as a useful agent to prevent or protect the male reproductive system from the adverse side effects induced by administration of anticancer agents such as busulfan.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 2016

In this study, we investigated the characteristics of CCK-producing cells and mucus-secreting goblet cells with respect to stomach fish and stomachless fish of the Gobiidae in order to provide a basis for understanding the digestive physiology. Hairychin goby (Sagamia geneionema), which is stomachless fish, the numbers of mucus-secreting goblet cells is highest in the posterior intestine portion (P<0.05), while CCK-producing cells are scattered throughout the intestine. Gluttonous goby (Chasmichthys gulosus), which is stomach fish, mucus-secreting goblet cells are most abundant in the mid intestine portion (P<0.05), whereas CCK-producing cells are observed only in the anterior and mid intestine portion. Trident goby (Tridentiger obscurus) which is stomach fish, mucus-secreting goblet cells were most abundant in the mid intestine portion (P<0.05). CCK-producing cells are found in the anterior and mid intestine portion. Giurine goby, Rhinogobius giurinus which is also stomach fish, the largest number of mucus-secreting goblet cells showed in anterior intestine portion except for esophagus (P<0.05). CCK-producing cells are present only in the anterior and mid intestine portion. In S. geneionema, digestive action occurs in the posterior intestine portion to protect and functions to activate digestion. In contrast, in C. gulosus, T. obscurus and R. giurinus, their digestive action occurs in the anterior and mid intestine portion to protect and functions to activate digestion. Further studies of the modes of food ingestion by these fish, the contents of their digestive tracts, and the staining characteristics of the goblet cells need to be carried out.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.215-220
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• 2008

Sex differentiation process of the spotted Black Bullhead, Pseudobagrus koreanus, was investigated using fish samples of different age after hatching. The primordial germ cells appeared separately under air bladder in 1-day larva (total length: $6.63{\sim}6.95\;mm$). The primordial gonad with a genital ridge developed in 5-day prelarva ($7.50{\sim}9.36\;mm$). The ovarian differentiation started in about 25-day juvenile ($11.58{\sim}13.21\;mm$). The somatic tissues enlongated in the tip of one end of undifferentiated gonad and fused each other. Thus a small ovarian cavity appeared. The testicular differentiation was initiated in 30-day juvenile ($12.19{\sim}13.72\;mm$). The rudiment of sperm duct was appeared in the lower part of the undifferentiated gonad. In 50-day juvenile ($16.28{\sim}17.06\;mm$), the ovary started to fill with peri-nucleolus oocytes, and the spermatogonia started to develop. In 250-day juvenile ($35.49{\sim}51.12\;mm$), the ovary became bigger and filled with oocytes, and the number of spermatogonia started to increase. Considering these results, the spotted Black Bullhead could be a differentiated type in sex differentiation and gonochorism in sexuality.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.205-212
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• 1998

A sodium-independent facilitative glucose transporter 1 (Glut1) is a major route by which glucose can be transported across the plasma membrane of mouse embryo. Although it has been known that insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) promotes glucose transport into the mouse embryo, whether IGF-I directly regulates transcription of Glut1 has been uncovered in mouse preimplantation embryo. This study was aimed to elucidate the role of glucose and IGF-I in development and Glut1 expression in preimplantation mouse embryo. Two-cell embryos developed in blastocyst regardless of the glucose in the presence of pyruvate. IGF-I significantly increased the number of blastomeres in the mid-blastula. Deprivation of glucose did not affect the amount of Glut1 transcripts in morula cultured from 2-cell embryo. IGF-I potentiated Glut1 expression in morula cultured from 2-cell embryo even in the absence of glucose. Taken together, it is concluded that depletion of glucose does not promote Glut1 expression the in morula cultured form 2-cell embryo, and that increment of Glut1 expression possibly mediates embryotropic effect of IGF-I on preimplantation mouse embryo.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2003

The Fas antigen (Fas) as a cell-surface receptor protein which mediates apoptosis-inducing signals plays an important role in the immune system. Expression of Fas mRNA is detected not only in lymphoid organs but also in the nonlymphoid organs. In the ovary, most of the follicles is known to undergo atreisa through apoptosis. However, the exact mechanism of atresia was not elucidated yet. Therefore, the purposes of the present study were to investigate the expression of Fas and Fas ligand in mouse ovary and to clarify the relationship between expression of Fas and Fas ligand and atresia of follicle. The result of RT-PCR demonstrated that Fas and Fas ligand mRNA was expressed in ovary, especially granulosa cells and oocytes. The immunohistochemistry showed that the granulosa cells and oocytes in growing follicles were stained for Fas and Fas ligand, but primordial follicles were not. Furthermore, Fas and Fas ligand were intensively stained in the atretic follicles As results of TUNEL staining to detect apoptotic cells in the ovaries, the number of TUNEL-positive (apoptotic) granulosa cells and oocytes increased in the atretic follicles compared to the healthy normal follicles. These results demonstrate that there is the positive relationship between expression of Fas and Fas ligand in granulosa cells and oocyies and apoptosis of them leading to atresia of follicles. It suggests that expression of Fas and Fas ligand could be associated with atresia of follicles in mouse ovary.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to compare both the performance of litters derived from two sire genetic origins (SGO), Vienna Blue (VB) and Burgundy Fawn (BF), along successive seasons of birth (SB; winter, spring, summer and autumn), and doe reproductive performance in an organic production system. A total of fifty-eight does consisting of a mixture of crosses of several medium-large size breeds at different parity order (P, 1 = nulliparous; 2 = primiparous; ${\geq}3$ = multiparous) and twelve males (6 VB and 6 BF) were housed indoors at environmental conditions that followed seasonality. An extensive reproductive rhythm was used and kits were weaned at $46{\pm}6$ d of age. Doe reproductive performance and the data of 105 litters (55 from VB and 50 from BF SGO) were recorded throughout the SB. No statistically significant differences related to SGO effect were observed. As regards parity order, multiparous does showed higher live weights (LW) (p<0.05), total born (p<0.01), total born alive (p<0.05) per delivery, and litter weight of born alive (p<0.05), but lower milk output at 21st d than primiparous does (p<0.05). The extensive reproductive rhythm mainly increased litter performance at birth in multiparous does but was not sufficient to permit a complete recovery of body reserves lost during lactation. Autumn SB negatively affected doe LW variation between deliveries. The number of pups born and born alive per delivery (p<0.05) and litter size at 21 d of age and at weaning (p<0.01) were lower during hot SB. Due to the lower litter size of pups born in summer and autumn, their individual weight at 21st d of age and daily individual growth rate 0 to 21 d were higher than those of pups born in winter (p<0.001). Litter performance at 21st d of age and individual pup pre-weaning growth rate were poorer for those born in spring than in other seasons due to the harmful effects of increased environmental temperatures. SB affected most of the performance traits of does and young rabbits reared under the organic farming system. The rabbits seemed better suited to organic rearing conditions during winter than in other seasons. The worst results overall were obtained in the spring SB, whereas the hot SB negatively affected both doe energy balance and prolificacy. In conclusion, the pups of the 2 SGO showed good pre-weaning performance and seemed suited to the organic rabbit production system.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.224-231
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• 2002

Photoperiod (length of light per day) is a major factor in regulating reproductive function in golden hamsters. The information of photoperiod is transmitted to the reproductive endocrine system by melatonin. Thus the effects of melatonin aye investigated in male golden hamsters exposed to photoperiods. Paired testicular weights were markedly reduced in the animals housed in short photoperiod $(SP,\le{12\;hours\;day^{-1})$ and injected with melatonin in the evening, but not in long photoperiod $(LP,\le{12.5}\;hours\;day^{-1})$ and injected with melatonin in the morning. The histological examination of regressed testes showed reduction of tubular lumen diameter including the numbers of cells and Leydig cell number. The mean values of both follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were also lowered in the sexually inactive animals than in the sexually active animals. Melatonin receptor was identified by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and its expression was examined in various tissues to scrutinize the action site of melatonin. It turned out 309 nucleotides and was definitely expressed in hypothalamus and pituitary including spleen, retina, and epididymis. And gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) gene, which is a key element in regulating reproduction, was identified by RT-PCR but the expression of GnRH was not modified by the treatment of melatonin. Taken together, photoperiod via melatonin indirectly affects reproductive endocrine system, possibly through the release of GnRH, not the synthesis of GnRH.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2000

This study was made to optimize the conditions needed to produce two types of gynogenetic diploids in the sweet fish, Plecoglossus altivelis. Firstly, ultraviolet (UV) ray doses between 3,000 erg to 14,000 erg/$\textrm{mm}^2$ were tested to inactivate sperm genetically. Based on the appearance of the haploid syndromes in the embryo, a dose of UV ray 6000~7000 erg was required to inactivate sperm genetically. Then, cold shock treatment at 1~2$^{\circ}C$ for 15~30 min were conducted to retain the 2nd polar body in inseminated egg. The best elapsed time before the start of the cold shock was examined between 5~8 min. The experiments in which began 5 min after insemination at 1~2$^{\circ}C$ during 17.5 min gave 21.2％ survival rate and 89.7% normal eyed embryo rate. The gynogenetic diploid produced by suppression of the first cleavage, a considerably high number of heteroploids appeared and high mortality was observed at the metamorphosis stage, so further investigation is needed. The production of gynogenetic diploids were confirmed by GPI isozyme marker. The heterozygous type in Gpi-1 locus was observed in the meiotic-G2N as a result of gene-centromere recombination during meiosis. The heterozygous type was never observed in mitotic-G2N and showed segregation into two homozygous types at Gpi-1 locus.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.95-100
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• 2000

A large number of man-made chemicals that have been released into the environment have the potential to disrupt the endocrine system of animals and humans. There is a critical developmental period during which sexual brain differentiation proceeds irreversibly under the influence of gonadal hormone. Recently we identified KAP3 gene expressed during the critical period of rat brain sexual differentiation. KAP3 functions as a microtubule-based motor that transports membranous organelles anterogradely in cells, including neurons. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of endocrine disrupter, Dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), on the KAP3 gene expression during critical period of rat brain development. Maternal exposure to DDT increased the level of KAP3 mRNA in male and female fetus brains when examined on the gestational day 17 (GDl7). In postnatal day 6, DDT suppressed the expression of KAP3 gene in male and female rat brain. Also, the body weight and fertilization rate were decreased in the DDT exposured rats. These results showed that endocrine disrupter, DDT, can affect the transcriptional level of brain sexual differentiation related gene, KAP3, in the prenatal and the neonatal rat brain and that maternal exposure to endocrine disruptors may lead to a toxic response in embryonic differentiation of brain. And so KAP3 gene may be used a gene maker to analyse the molecular mechanism for toxic response in animal nerve tissues exposed to endocrine disruptors.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.339-351
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• 2012

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is the most frequently used serum for the cultivation of mammalian cells. However, since animal-derived materials might not be appropriate due to safety issues, allogeneic human serum (HS) has been used to replace FBS, particularly for the culture of human cells. While there has been a debate about the advantages of HS, its precise effect on human adult stem cells have not been clarified. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of HS on the human eyelid adipose stem cells (HEACs) in vitro. When HEACs were cultivated in a medium containing 10% HS, many cells moved into several spots and aggregated there. The phenomenon was observed as early as 9 days following 10% HS treatment, and 12 days following 5% HS plus 5% FBS treatment. However, the aggregation was never observed when the same cells were cultivated with 10% FBS or bovine serum albumin. To examine whether cell density might affect the aggregation, cells were seeded with different densities on 12-well dish. Until the beginning of aggregation, cells seeded at low densities exhibited the longest culture period of 16 days whereas cells seeded at high densities showed the shortest period of 9 days to form aggregation. The number of cells was $15.1{\pm}0.2{\times}10^4$ as the least for the low density group, and $29.3{\pm}2.8{\times}10^4$ as the greatest for the high density group. When human cord blood serum or normal bovine serum was examined for the same effect on HEACs, interestingly, cord blood serum induced the aggregation of cells whereas bovine serum treatment has never induced. When cells were cultivated with 10% HS for 9 days, they were obtained and analyzed by RT-PCR. Compared to FBS-cultivated HEACs, HS-cultivated HEACs did not express VIM, and less expressed GATA4, PALLD. On the other hand, HS-cultivated HEACs expressed MAP2 more than FBS-cultivated HEACs. In conclusion, human adult stem cells could move and form aggregates by the treatment with human body fluids.