• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 1987

Effects of sperm and seminal plasma isoant ibodies upon the rate of superovulation and ferlil ization were slud ied in both normal and immunized rabbits. The results obstained were summarized as follows: 1. On examin.ltion of the superovulation in the immunized animals, the average number of ovulation points was 22.1 and 25.3 for spermtreated animals and for seminal plasma-treated animals, respec tively. As compared to the con¬trol group of 41.0 in number, the immunized showed statisfical significance in ovulation (P<0.05). 2. In ovary weight and follicle's size there were no significant differences among the three groups, whereas sperm-and seminal plasma¬treated groups had an average rate of fertiliza¬tion of 62.X% and 5X .0%, respectively, in re¬markable contrast to the control hTfOUP of 91.4'1'0 (P<0.05). 3. When the animals were inseminated with a mixture of semen plus sperm or seminal plasma antisera, a sharp reduction of fertilization was observed with 5.6% and 16.0% as compared to the control group (P<0.05). Consequently, immunization with either sperm or seminal plasma had a substantial effect on fertilization.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.3 s.70
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• pp.387-396
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• 2005

The aims of the study were to establish a short-term screening test for detecting testicular toxicity of chemicals in rats and to determine whether a 2-week administration period is sufficient to detect testicular toxicity of 2-bromopropane (2-BP) as an example. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subcutaneously administered with 1000 mg/kg/day of 2-BP or its vehicle for 2 weeks. Ten male rats each were sacrificed on days 3, 7 and 14 after the initiation of treatment. Parameters of testicular toxicity included genital organ weights, testicular sperm head counts, epididymal sperm counts, motility and morphology, and qualitative and quantitative histopathologic examinations. The early histopathological changes observed on day 3 of treatment included degeneration of spermatogonia and spermatocytes, multinuclear giant cells, mature spermatid retention, vacuolization of Sertoli cells, and decreased number of spermatogonia in stages II and V. On day 7 of treatment, atrophy of seminiferous tubules, exfoliation of germ cells, degeneration of spermatogonia and spermatocytes, multinuclear giant cells, mature spermatid retention, vacuolization of Sertoli cells, decreased number of spermatogonia in stages II and V, and decreased number of spermatocytes in stages VII and XII. On day 14 after treatment, a significant decrease in the weights of testes and seminal vesicles was found. Atrophy of seminiferous tubules, exfoliation of germ cells, degeneration of spermatogonia and spermatocytes, mature spermatid retention, vacuolization of Sertoli cells, decreased number of spermatogonia in stages II and V, and decreased number of spermatocytes in all spermatogenic stages were also observed. In addition, a slight non-significant decrease in testicular sperm head counts, daily sperm production rate and epididymal sperm counts was found. The results showed that 2 weeks of treatment is sufficient to detect the adverse effects of 2-BP on male reproductive organs. It is considered that the short-term testicular toxicity study established in this study can be a useful tool for screening the testicular toxic potential of new drug candidates in rats.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 2013

We screened the pharmacological effects of a 50% ethanol extract of Yacon tubers and leaves on spermatogenesis in rats. As a result, we found that Yacon tuber extracts increased sperm number and serum testosterone level in rats. It has been reported that the crude extract of Yacon tubers and leaves contain phenolic acids, such as, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid and caffeic acid by HPLC/MS analysis. We were interested in the contributions made by phenolic acid, particularly chlorogenic acid of Yacon tuber extract to the spermatogenic activity. After administering Yacon tuber extract or chlorogenic acid to rats for 5 weeks, numbers of sperm in epididymis were increased by 34% and 20%, respectively. We also administered ferulic acid, which has been reported to be a metabolite of chlorogenic acid and a constituent of Yacon tuber extract to investigate its spermatogenic activity in rats. Yacon tuber extract and ferulic acid increased sperm numbers by 43% and 37%, respectively. And, Yacon tuber extract, and chlorogenic acid showed significantly inhibition effect of testoeterone degradation in rat liver homogenate. We considered that the spermatogenic effect of Yacon tuber extract might be related to phenolic compounds and their inhibitory effect of testosterone degradation. Yacon showed the possibility as ameliorable agents of infertility by sperm deficiency and late onset hypogonadism syndrome with low level of testosterone.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.923-927
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to compare random regression model and multiple trait animal model estimates of the (co) variance of total sperm cells over the active lifetime of AI boars. Data were provided by Smithfield Premium Genetics (Rose Hill, NC). Total number of records and animals for the random regression model were 19,629 and 1,736, respectively. Data for multiple trait animal model analyses were edited to include only records produced at 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, and 27 months of age. For the multiple trait method estimates of genetic and residual variance for total sperm cells were heterogeneous among age classifications. When comparing multiple trait method to random regression, heritability estimates were similar except for total sperm cells at 24 months of age. The multiple trait method also resulted in higher estimates of heritability of total sperm cells at every age when compared to random regression results. Random regression analysis provided more detail with regard to changes of variance components with age. Random regression methods are the most appropriate to analyze semen traits as they are longitudinal data measured over the lifetime of boars.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2001

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of $\alpha$-tocopherol and selenium on the boar semen characteristics. Semen volume and pH values were not different among treatments. However sperm concerntration, total number of sperm and sperm mortility were significantly(P＜0.05) increased comparing to the control group and sperm abnormality was significantly(P＜0.05) decreased comparing to the control group. Also, sperm mortility by storage day was significantly(P＜0.05) increased comparing to the control group. The results from this experiment indicate that dietary $\alpha$-tocopherol and selenium can affect boar semen characteristics.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2000

The successful gene transfer and transient expression was demonstrated in olive flounder embryos using lipofected sperm. Olive flounder sperm interacted with foregn plasmid DNA encapsidated by positively charged liposome. The maximum plasmid copy number that associated with the sperm was 5 copies/sperm based on the examination of DNA blot assay. The foreign DNA was transferred into fertilized eggs without any adverse effect on fertilization and survival of embryos (P>0.05) and retained in embryos until at least 42 hours with successful expression. The maximal expression was detected in 18 hours after fertilization at 18$^{\cird}C$ and gradually decreased with development of embryo. Most of DNA transferred into embryos persisted extrachromosomally without significant sign of integration or replication.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.51-62
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• 2010

The ultrastructures of germ cells and the accessory cells during spermatogenesis and mature sperm ultrastructure in male Gomphina veneriformis, which was collected on the coastal waters of Yangyang, East Sea of Korea, were investigated by transmission electron microscope observations. The morphology of the spermatozoon has a primitive type and is similar to those of other bivalves in that it contains a short midpiece with four mitochondria surrounding the centrioles. Accessory cells are observed to be connected to adjacent germ cells, they contain a large quantity of glycogen particles and lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. Therefore, it is assumed that they are involved in the supplying of the nutrients for germ cell development, while any phenomena associated with phagocytosis of undischarged, residual sperms by lysosomes in the cytoplasm of the accessory cells after spawning was not observed in this study. The morphologies of the sperm nucleus type and the acrosome shape of this species have a cylindrical and modified long cone shape, respectively. In particular, the axial filaments in the lumen of the acrosome, and subacrosomal granular materials are observed in the subacrosomal space between the anterior nuclear fossa and the beginning part of axial filaments in the acrosome. The spermatozoon is approximately $50-55{\mu}m$ in length including a long sperm nucleus (about $7.80{\mu}m$ in length), an acrosome (about $1.13{\mu}m$ in length) and tail flagellum ($40-45{\mu}m$). The axoneme of the sperm tail flagellum consists of nine pairs of microtubules at the periphery and a pair at the center. The axoneme of the sperm tail shows a 9+2 structure. Some charateristics of sperm morphology of this species in the family Veneridae are (1) acrosomal morphology, (2) the number of mitochondria in the midpiece of the sperm,. The axial filament appears in the acrosome as one of characteristics seen in several species of the family Veneridae in the subclass heterodonta, unlikely the subclass pteriomorphia containing axial rod instead of the axial filament. As some characteristics of the acrosome structures, the peripheral parts of two basal rings show electron opaque part (region), while the apex part of the acrosome shows electron lucent part (region). These charateristics belong to the family Veneridae in the subclass heterodonta, unlikely a characteristic of the subclass pteriomorphia showing all part of the acrosome being composed of electron opaque part (region). Therefore, it is easy to distinguish the families or the subclasses by the acrosome structures. The number of mitochondria in the midpiece of the sperm of this species are four, as one of common characteristics appeared in most species in the family Veneridae.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.189-194
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• 1997

The ovaries of Korean native cows or heifers were obtained from a slaughter house and kept on 28~3O˚C and transported to laboratory within 2 hrs. The follicular oocytes were collected follicles. The oocytes were matured in vitro for 24 hrs. In TCM-199 supplemented with 35 $\pi$g /ml FSH, 10 $\pi$g /ml LH, 1 $\pi$g /ml estradiol-17 and granulosa cells at 39˚C under 5% $CO_2$ in air. The caudal epididymis of Korean native bulls were obtained from a slaughter house and transported to laboratory within 30 minutes. Swim-up of collected spermatozoa and freezing sperm was layered under 2ml fertilization B. 0. medium in two tissue culture tubes and held at a 45˚C angle for 0~2 hrs. They wrer fertilized in vitro by freezing sperm treated with heparin for 24 hrs, and then the zygotes were co-cultured in vitro with bovine oviductal epithelial cells for 7 to 9 days. The follicular oocytes recovered were classified into 41.7% as grade I, 51.5% as grade II and 6.8% as graed III. The number of oocytes recovered per ovary was averaged 8.3 and they were classifed into 2.3 as grade I, 2.5 as grade II and 2.3 as grade III. The cleavage rate of matured oocytes was significantly(P

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.701-705
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• 2007

Seven rc mutant and seven normal male birds (Rhode Island Red suie, RIR) were used in this study to determine the effects of rc mutation on semen characteristics, testosterone profile and spermatogenic tissues. All birds were randomly selected at week 12 of age and housed in individual cages and were fed and watered ad libitum. The birds were exposed to a 14L:10D light cycle during experiment. Semen were collected at weeks 22 to 23 from each bird twice a week and evaluated for semen volume (SV), sperm concentration (SC), total sperm count (TSC), percent of sperm motility (%SM), dead sperm (%DS), and sperm metabolic activity (SMA). To determine the testosterone concentration (TC) in plasma, blood was collected at weeks 12, 16 and 18. Testicular tissue were collected, processed and evaluated for semineferous tubule diameter (STD), round spermatid number (RSN), percent elongated sperm (%ES) and semineferous tubules length (STL). Body weight (BW), comb weight (CW) and testes weight (TW) were weighted at the end of experiment (week 23). The SV, TSC and %SM were significantly higher in normal birds but the %DS was higher in blind birds (p<0.05). The SC did not differ significantly between the two groups but its value was higher in normal birds. The sperm metabolic activity in the first h of collection did not differ significantly between the two groups but after 24 h, the level of SMA in normal group was significantly higher (p<0.05). The level of TC did not differ significantly between the two genotype groups but normal birds had higher TC in all collections except the last one. The STD, RSN, %ES and STL in normal birds were higher when compared to blind birds but the differences were insignificant except for ES percent. The BW, CW and TW between the two groups did not differ significantly but the weights were higher in normal group compared to blind birds. Statistical analysis of semen characteristics, testosterone profile and histological factors were indicated detrimental effects of rc mutation in prepubertal RIR blind male birds due to lack of light.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.243-246
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• 1999

To obtain the basic data for the preservation of river puffer (Takifugu obscurus) sperm, experiments were carried out on the physico-chemical properties and cold storage of milt. The average number of sperm and spermatocrit in milt stripped were $1.13\pm0.34\times10^{10}/ml$ and 64.8$\pm$1.4, respectively. Osmolality of seminal fluid was 266$\pm$2 mOsm/kg, Total protein and total lipid from sperm were higer than that from seminal fluid. $Ca^{2+}$ and $Na^{+}$ concentrations were higher in the seminal fluid than in the sperm, while $Mg^{2+}$ and $K^{+}$ concentrations were lower in the seminal fluid. When sperm of river puffer were preserved in $0\pm0.5^{\circ}C$ with various diluents for 16 days, fertilization rate was $0\~0.7\%$. It suggested that cold storage of river puffer sperm was detrimental to sperm fertility.