The elevated temperature and high humidity has been known as main reason for heat stress on animals and cause detrimental effects on productivity of organisms and physiological conditions of normal bioactivities. The aims of this study were to evaluate the relationship between time of heat shock simulation during in vitro maturation and developmental competence of subsequent embryo after in vitro fertilization. Heat shocked cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) of Korean native cattle were subjected to normal conditions for 22, 21, 18 and 12 h respectively and transferred to heat stress inducing condition at 40.5 °C in other incubator for 0 (control), 1 and 4 h. After maturation for 22 h, the oocytes were fertilized and cultured in mSOF media for 8 d and examined the developmental capacity of embryos. There were no differences in maturation and cleavage rates between 0, 1 and 4 h heat socked oocytes, but blastocysts formation were lower in the 4 h heat stressed oocytes. The apoptotic cells of developed blastocysts were also increased in at day 8 with 4 h heat shocked oocytes. These results indicate that heat shock on oocytes during maturation could cause negative effects on the developmental competence of embryos.

한우의 암소 개량을 목적으로 다양한 번식우의 활용 기술이 개발되어 오고 있다. 특히 수정란 을 이용한 개량 연구 중 생체난포란 (ovum pick-up, OPU) 방법은 체내수정란 생산을 위한 과배 란처리 방법 보다 공란우의 활용성을 높이기 위해서 사용되고 있는 기법이다. 따라서 본 연구에 서는 한우의 생체에서 난포란의 채란의 효율성에 관한 연구를 수행하였다. 생체난포란 채란을 위한 한우 공란우는 한우연구소에서 사육중인 한우에서 실시하였다. 생체 내 난포란의 관찰은 MyLabTM30VETGOLD (Esaote, Genova, ITALY) 및 탐촉자 (EC123; Micro-Convex 9∼3 MHz, Esaote, Genova, ITALY)는 6.6 MHz convex scanner를 사용하였고, 난포란 채란에 사용된 주사침은 19G 주사침을 사용하였다. 초음파상에서 2mm 이상의 난포 수량을 확인하고 난포란을 흡인하였다. 흡입된 난포란은 2∼3회 washing으로 혈액 등의 이물질을 제거하여 실체현미경 하에서 회수하였 고, 난포란의 등급분류는 세포질 균일도와 난구세포의 부착 정도에 따라 평가기준을 1등급에서 3 등급까지 분류하였다. 체외발달을 유도하기 위해서 회수된 난포란의 체외성숙배양은 TCM 199 기 본배양액에 소 태아혈청 (Fetal Bovine Serum) 0.5%와 LH, FSH, FGF, EGF 첨가하여 22시간 동안 배양하였고, 체외수정은 IVF 100 (IFP, Japan) 배양액 50μl 미소적에 성숙 난포란 20개씩 넣어서 체 외수정을 실시하였다. 체외수정을 위해서 KPN 동결정액을 사용하였고 수정을 위한 정자의 최종 농도는 2x106/ml로 6시간 동안 체외수정을 유도하였다. 체외발달유도는 SOF 배양액으로 5% O2, 5% CO2, 그리고 90% N2 와 38.5°C 인큐베이터에서 8일째 까지 배양하였다. 4두의 공란우로부터 개체당 8session 을 실시하였다. 개체별 회수효율은 평균 6.6±1.30, 7.5±2.20, 6.13±1.13, 4.9±1.36개의 결과를 보였다. 평균 1등급 43개, 2등급 9.5개, 3등급4.8개로 나타났다. 회수된 난자의 체외발달율 에서 분할율은 68.8%, 배반포 발생율은 28.4%의 결과를 보였다. 따라서 본 연구 결과로 미루어 볼 때 사료급여 방법에 따른 연구도 병행하여 추진해야 할 것으로 사료된다.

The oocyte undergoes various events during In vitro maturation (IVM) and subsequence development. One of the events is production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that is a normal process of cell metabolism. But imbalances between ROS production and antioxidant systems induce oxidative stress that negatively affect to mammalian reproductive process. In vitro environments, In vitro matured oocytes have many problems, such as excessive production of ROS and imperfect cytoplasmic maturation. Therefore, In vitro matured oocytes still have lower maturation rates and developmental competence than in vivo matured oocytes. In order to improve the IVM and In vitro culture (IVC) system, antioxidants, vitamins were added to the IVM, IVC medium. Antioxidant supplementation was effective in controlling the production of ROS and it continues to be explored as a potential strategy to overcome mammalian reproductive disorders. Based on these studies, we expect that the use of antioxidants in porcine oocytes could improved maturation and development rates.

During the ovary preservation in low temperature, the cumulus oocyte complexes(COCs) lose their developmental competences after in vitro fertilization. We used phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as a basic solutions of at various temperatures (25, 15 or 5 ℃) and supplemented them with 1mM glucose and 0.5mM glutamine as a source of carbohydrate metabolites. After recovery of COCs and in vitro fertilization, a significantly higher number of oocytes developed into blastocysts. The developmental competence of embryos that were originated from ovaries preserved at 15 ℃ was increased compared to those of 25 or 5 ℃. The maturation rate of oocytes was not differed between 24 and 36 h at 15 ℃ but showed lower than control group (71% versus 78%). In vitro-fertilized oocytes from ovaries stored at 25 ℃ for 24 h or at 5 ℃ for 24 h had a significantly decreased developmental potentials, but at 15 ℃ did not (27% versus 29% of blastocysts to develop into day 8). With these results, bovine ovaries can be preserved at 15 ℃ for 36 h without decreasing developmental capacity of in vitro-fertilized oocyte at least to the blastocyst stage. This information provides valuable information of preserving ovaries for embryo transfer or in vitro embryo production.

In this study, to improve the in vitro development of various cells including cloned embryos, the effects that isoproterenol and melatonin have on in vitro development of porcine parthenogenetic oocytes were investigated. Parthenogenetic activation was induced with electrical stimulation, BSA and 6-DMAP treatment. 10-7 M of melatonin and isoproterenol (10-10, 10-12 and 10-14 M) were supplemented for in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro culture (IVC) medium, with different concentrations. When isoproterenol and melatonin were supplemented in IVM medium with different concentrations, there was no significant (P<0.05) difference of maturation rate in the treatment groups as well as in that of only melatonin. As isoproterenol and melatonin were supplemented in IVM medium with different concentrations, blastocyst rates of isoproterenol 10-12 M treatment group (37.1%) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than control group (26.0%). Isoproterenol and melatonin were supplemented in IVC medium with different concentrations, then the cleavage rate of 10-12 M isoproterenol treatment group (82.2%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than the group that melatonin was only supplemented (70.9%). There was no difference of blastocyst rate between the treatment groups. When isoproterenol and melatonin were supplemented for IVM+IVC medium with different concentrations, the cleavage rate of 10-12 M isoproterenol treatment group (92.5%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than the control group (82.8%) and the group that melatonin was only treated (81.6%). The blastocyst rate of 10-12 M as 45.6% was significantly (P<0.05) higher than control group (25.2%) and melatonin treatment group (31.2%). The cell number of blastocyst in 10-12 M isoproterenol treatment group 35.5±3.4 was significantly (P<0.05) highest. The results of this study showed that the development rate of IVC when both isoproterenol and melatonin were supplemented was higher than when melatonin was only supplemented. Therefore, it is concluded that isoproterenol is rather effective in the activation of melatonin. 10-7 M melatonin and 10-12 M isoproterenol were considered suitable concentration.

돼지 수정란의 체외 생산 효율성 향상을 위해서는 배발생율과 더불어 고품질의 배를 조기에 선별해야 한다. 체외 배 발생율에 대한 보고는 많지만, 고품질의 배를 선별할 수 있는 기술에 대한 연구는 거의 없었다. 본 연구에서는 돼지 난포란 유래 수정란의 체외배양에 있어서 배반포로의 배 발달과 생존에 미치는 Vitamin K1(vit K1) 첨가 농도, 시기 및 시간의 효과를 검토하였다. 1.0 μM, 3.0 μM 및 6.0 μM vit K1을 배양 1일째 24시간 첨가한 결과, 배반포 발달율이 시험군이 14.5 ± 4.3, 0.0 및 0.0%로써 대조군의 35.5 ± 3.2%에 비하여 유의하게 낮았고(p<0.05), 배반포의 생존율도 대조군이 31.8 ± 2.6%로써 시험군의 22.2 ± 2.9, 0.0 및 0.0%에 비하여 유의하게 높았다(p<0.05). 상기 첨가 농도에서 첨가 시간을 달리한 결과, 1.0 μM 농도에서 6시간 처리군의 배반포 발달율과 생존율이 각각 26.5 ± 2.9% 및 47.2 ± 2.8%로써 가장 높았고 특히, 12시간 처리군보다 유의하게 높았다(p<0.05). 3.0 μM 농도에서는 대조군의 배발달율이 36.4 ± 3.1%로 가장 높았으나, 생존율은 3.0시간 첨가군이 41.7 ± 3.2%로 대조군에 비하여 유의하게 높았다(p<0.05). 6.0 μM 농도에서도 배발달율은 대조군(32.0 ± 2.8%), 생존율은 0.5시간 첨가군(42.9 ± 1.8%)이 가장 높았다. 각각의 vit K1 첨가 농도와 시간을 기준으로 서로 다른 배양 시기에 첨가한 결과, 1.0 μM 6시간 첨가군에서는 배반포 발달율은 배양 4일째 첨가군, 생존율은 배양 2일째 첨가군이 가장 높았다. 한편, 3.0 μM 3.0시간 및 6.0 μM 0.5시간 첨가군에서는 배양 4일째 첨가군의 배반포 발달율(59.5 ± 4.1% 및 50.0 ± 3.6%)과 생존율(72.7 ± 5.4% 및 79.2 ± 4.0%)이 대조군과 다른 시험군에 비하여 유의하게 높았다(p<0.05). 한편, vit K1 첨가에 따른 배반포의 세포 수를 조사한 결과, 첨가군(1.0 μM 6시간 배양 2일째, 3.0 μM 3.0시간 배양 4일째 및 6.0 μM 0.5시간 배양 6일째)이 53.4 ± 5.8, 49.4 ± 3.8 및 51.5 ± 4.5개로써 대조군의 40.2 ± 2.3개에 비하여 유의하게 많았다(p<0.05). 그러나 사멸세포 수는 시험군이 3.2 ± 0.9∼3.7 ± 2.1개로써 대조군의 4.2 ± 1.2개보다 적었으나, 유의차는 없었다. 세포 사멸 유도 유전자인 Bax mRNA 발현은 처리군과 대조군은 비슷하였으나, 세포 사멸 억제 유전자인 Bcl-xL mRNA 발현은 처리군이 대조군보다 높았고 특히, 6.0 μM 0.5시간 배양 4일째 첨가군이 가장 높았다. 이상의 결과로부터 돼지 미성숙 난포란 유래 수정란의 체외 배양에 vit K1의 첨가는 배반포의 생존율과 세포수 증가에 효과적이었다. 그 이유에 대해서는 아직 많은 부분이 밝혀져야 되겠지만, 고품질의 배반포 조기 선발에는 활용이 가능할 것으로 생각된다.

본 연구는 돼지 정자의 동결 건조 시 동결 보호제인 trehalose의 효과와 동결 건조 시간과 동결 건조 후 저장 기간에 따라 정자의 생존성과 체외 성숙 난자 내 동결 건조 정자를 직접 주입한 후 전핵 형성율, 난할율 그리고 배발달 성적을 조사하였다. 동결 건조 후 정자의 생존율은 trehalose 무첨가구에 비해 trehalose를 첨가한 처리구에서 높은 생존율을 보였으며, 75 mM의 trehalose를 첨가하여 동결 건조한 정자들의 생존율이 가장 높은 것으로 나타났다. 또한, 동결 건조 후 저장 기간이 길어질수록 생존율이 낮아지는 경향이었다. 체외 성숙 난자 내 동결 건조 정자를 직접 주입 후 전핵 형성율은 trehalose 첨가구에서 유의적으로 높았으며(p<0.05), 난할율과 배발달 성적도 trehalose 첨가구에서 유의적으로 높았고(p<0.05), 정자의 동결 건조 시간이 짧을수록 높은 난할율과 배발달율을 보였다.

Pyracantha is a genus of thorny evergreen large shrubs in the family of Rosaceae, with common names Firethorn or Pyracantha. It's extract has also been used in cosmetics as a skin-whitening agent and functioning through tyrosinase inhibition. Recent studies have shown that pyracantha extract possesses antioxidant activities and may significantly improve lipoprotein metabolism in rats. Although the mode of action of Pyracantha extract is not fully understood, a strong relationship was observed between antioxidant and apoptosis in some types of cells. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluated the effect of pyracantha extract on blastocysts formation and their quality of the porcine parthenogenetic embryos. After parthenogenetic activation by chemicals, presumptive porcine parthenogenetic embryos were cultured in PZM-3 medium supplemented with extracts of pyracantha leaf, stalk and root for 6 day (1, 5 and 10 μg/ml, respectively). In our results, the frequency of blastocyst formation in pyracantha root extract (5 μg/ml) treated group had increased that of other groups. Furthermore, blastocysts derived from pyracantha root extract (5 μg/ml) treated group had increased the total cell numbers and reduced apoptotic index. Blastocyst development was significantly improved in the pyracantha root extract (5 μg/ml) treated group when compared with the H2O2 treated group (p<0.05). Subsequent evaluation of the intracellular levels of ROS in pyracantha root extract (5 μg/ml) treated groups under H2O2 induced oxidative stress were decreased (p<0.05). In conclusion, our results indicate that treatment of pyracantha root extract may improve in vitro development of porcine parthenogenetic embryos through its antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects.

돼지 핵이식 복제수정란의 체외 발달율을 개선하고자, 핵이 주입된 수핵난자를 전기자극 에 의한 융합 후 demecolcine으로 세포질 활성화 처리를 실시하였다. 2-세포기로 분할 전 까지 핵의 이상분열을 억제하여 정상적인 핵형 유지여부 및 demecolcine이 핵의 방출을 유 도하여 탈핵의 전 처리, 핵이식 후 활성화의 후 처리 및 탈핵 전․후 처리를 모두 한 핵이 식 수정란의 체외발달율을 조사하였다. 융합이 이루어진 복제 수정란에 demecolcine을 4시간 처리하였을 때 정상적인 핵 모양인 CLC(clustered chromosomes) 상태는 43.2%로서 무 처리구의 15.0%보다는 높았으며, 1PN (single pronucleus) 상태는 46.9%로서 대조구의 35.0%와는 차이가 없었다. 비정상적인 핵 형인 ≥2PN, PPB+CLC or PN 및 ≥2PN 7.4, 0 및 2.5%로서 무 처리구의 17.5, 22.5 및 10%로서 처리구가 낮았다. 융합 이후 16시간에는 1PN이 85.0%로서 대조구의 56.7%보다 는 높았다. 분할율은 전․후 모두 처리구에서 86.4±2%로서 후 처리(81.3±6%)와 대조구(79.6±6%) 보 다 높았으며, 전 처리의 85.7±2%와는 차이가 없었다. 배반포기로의 발달율에 있어서도 전․후 처리가 18.1±3%로서 전 처리(11.0±3%)와 대조구(11.3±1%)에 비하여 높았으나, 후 처리의 15.5±1%와는 차이가 없었다. 배반포기 수정란의 할구수도 전․후 처리가 21.6±6% 로서 전, 후 처리 및 대조구의 각각 18.8±8%, 19.4±3% 및 19.7±2%보다 많았다. Demecolcine을 돼지 복제 수정란에 처리하면 분할 전까지 핵의 이상 분열을 억제하는 것 이 확인되었으며, demecolcine 처리에 의한 탈핵은 수핵난자의 세포질 손상을 감소시키고 보다 용이하게 할 수 있다. 본 연구에서와 같이 탈핵 및 활성화를 목적으로 탈핵 전․후 처 리를 하였을 때 체외발달율이 다소 개선되는 경향을 보였다.

Efficient oocyte activation is a key step for the success of nuclear transfer in cloning. Ionomycin sequentially combined with 6-DMAP is now widely used to activate normal oocytes for analytical studies of oocyte activation and to activate reconstructed oocytes after nuclear transfer. The present study investigated sources of oocytes, duration of ionomycin and 6-DMAP, laser and electric stimulation in goat oocyte activation in order to optimize the protocols. Goat ovaries were collected in individual abattoirs during the breeding season and were delivered to the laboratory within 6 h in saline with 100 IU/ml streptomycin and 0.05 mg/ml penicillin. The oocytes were denuded from the cumulus cell by pipetting with 0.2% hyaluronidase in PBS at 20~22 hr post maturation. Oocytes with the polar body were selected and assigned to four groups for parthenogenetic activation. To examine the effect of duration of ionomycin treatment, oocytes after 20~22 hr of maturation were treated with 2.5 uM ionomycin for 1 or 5 min times and then cultured in 2 mM 6-DMAP for 2 or 4 hr. The activated oocytes were cultured in mSOF at in 5%, 5% and 90% multi incubator. Cleavage and blastocyst development was observed at 48 hr and day 8 of culture , respectively. Activation rates of oocytes exposed to ionomycin for 1 min(86.4%) were significantly higher than those treated for 5 min(74.3%) duration. This indicated that 1 min ionomycin treatment was most suitable for activation of goat oocytes. The duration of 6-DMAP treat duration was in 2 mM 6-DMAP for 2 hr after 1 min exposure to 2.5 uM ionomycin. The activation rate of oocytes incubated in 6-DMAP for 2 hour(82.5%) was significantly higher than those in oocytes treated with 4 hr(75.5%).

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of growing stages of the Korean Native Striped Bull (KNSB) on the freezability and fertility of frozen-thawed semen. First, we investigated the total motility (TM) and progressive motility (PM) according to the diluent used for semen freezing. Second, we examined the effect of the age of KNSB on semen volume, TM and PM of fresh and frozen-thawed semen. Third, we examined the effect of frozen semen from the different age of KNSB on the fertilization rate, and the artificial insemination pregnancy rate. The diluents used in this experiment were Triladyl and Tris-egg yolk extender (EYE). Semen was collected from 5 KNSB in the growing stage (15 months) and 5 adult KNSB (36 months). When Triladyl or Tris-EYE extender was used for semen freezing, there was no difference of the mean TM and the mean PM. However, the mean TM was significantly higher in Bull No. 1885 than Bull No. 4283 ( <0.05). The mean volume of semen collected from the 15-month-old bulls (2.3 ml) was significantly lower ( <0.05) than that from the 36-month-old bulls (5.0 ml). The mean semen concentration was similar for the 15-month-old ( spermatozoa/ml) and 36-month-old ( spermatozoa/ml) bulls. For the 15-month-old and 36-month-old bulls, the mean TM of fresh semen were 93.7% and 88.3%, respectively, and the mean PM were 97.0% and 88.3%, respectively; the 15-month-old bulls showed a particularly high PM ( <0.05). For the 15-month-old and 36-month-old bulls, the mean TM (56.0% and 58.0%, respectively) and the mean PM (64.0% and 70.7%, respectively) of frozen-thawed semen did not differ. The development rates of embryos after fertilization and the pregnancy rate after artificial insemination using frozen-thawed semen did not differ according to the bull's age. In summary, semen volume differed according to the bull's age, but semen concentration and survival rate, the fertilization rate, and the pregnancy rate did not differ according to the stripe bull's age. Accordingly, semen from bulls in the growing stage can be collected and frozen for the preservation and multiplication of rare livestock.

This study was to investigate the effect of flavonoid treatment on in vitro development of bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos, and their pregnancy and delivery rate after embryo transfer into recipient. In experiment 1, to optimize the flavonoid concentration, parthenogenetic day 2 (≥ 2-cell) embryos were cultured in 0 (control), 1, 10 and 20 μM flavonoid for 6 days. In the results, in vitro development rate was the highest in 10 μM flavonoid group (57.1%) among treatment groups (control, 49.5%; 1 μM, 54.2%; 20 μM, 37.5%), and numbers of total and ICM cells were significantly (p<0.05) higher in 10 μM flavonoid group than other groups. We found that 10 μM flavonoid treatment can significantly (p<0.05) decrease the apoptotic index and derive high expression of anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, cell growth and development marker genes such as Mn-SOD, Survivin, Bax inhibitor, Glut-5, In-tau, compared to control group. In experiment 2, to produce the cloned Jeju Black Cattle, beef quality index grade 1 bull somatic cells were transferred into enucleated bovine MII oocytes and reconstructed embryos were cultured in 10 μM flavonoid added medium. When the in vitro produced day 7 or 8 SCNT blastocysts were transferred into a number of recipients, 10 μM flavonoid treatment group presented higher pregnancy rate (10.2%, 6/59) than control group (5.9%, 2/34). Total three cloned Jeju Black calves were born. Also, two cloned calves in 10 μM flavonoid group were born and both were all healthy at present, while the one cloned calf born in control group was dead one month after birth. In addition, when the result of short tandem repeat marker analysis of each cloned calf was investigated, microsatellite loci of 11 numbers matched genotype between donor cell and cloned calf tissue. These results demonstrated that the flavonoid addition in culture medium may have beneficial effects on in vitro and in vivo developmental capacity of SCNT embryos and pregnancy rate.

In this study, we aimed to determine whether the evaluated markers of cell death could be found at particular developmental stages of normal porcine in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos. We investigated the characteristics of spontaneous and induced apoptosis during preimplantation development stages of porcine IVF embryos. In experiment 1, to induce apoptosis of porcine IVF embryos, porcine IVF embryos at 22h post insemination were treated at different concentration of actinomycin D (0, 5, 50 and 500 ng/ml in NCSU medium). Treated embryos were incubated at in 5% , 5% for 8h, and then washed to NCSU medium and incubated until blastocyst (BL) stage. We examined cleavage rate at 2days and BL development rate at 7days after in vitro culture. A significantly lower rate of cleavage was found in the 500 ng/ml group compared to others (500 ng/ml vs. 0, 5, 50 ng/ml; 27.8 % vs. 50.0%, 41.2%, 35.9%), and BL formation rate in 500 ng/ml was lower than that of others (500 ng/ml vs. 0, 5, 50 ng/ml; 8.0% vs. 12.6%, 11.2%, 12.6%). In experiment 2, to evaluate apoptotic cells, we conducted TUNEL assay based on morphological assessment of nuclei and on detection of specific DNA degradation under fluorescence microscope. This result showed that apoptosis is a normal event during preimplantation development in control group (0 ng/ml actinomycin D). A high number of BL derived control group contained at least one apoptotic cell. Actinomycin D treated BLs responded to the presence of apoptotic inductor by significant decrease in the average number of blastomeres and increase in the incidence of apoptotic cell death. In 500 ng/ml group, the incidence of apoptosis increased at 4-cell stage and later. This result suggested that apoptosis is a process of normal embryonic development and actinomycin D is useful tool for the apoptosis study of porcine preimplantation embryos.

This study was conducted to examine the effects of human follicular fluid and gonadotropin (FSH+HCG+rhEGF) on in vitro maturation, fertilization and development of human immature oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected following for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles of the patients. At the time of oocytes collection, oocytes were classified into MII, MI and GV in accordance with their appearance (MII: Fully mature oocyte at metaphase II of meiosis; MI: Nearly mature oocytes at metaphase I of meiosis; GV: Immature oocytes at prophase I of meiosis). After controlled ovarian stimulation using gonadotropin(FSH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in 70 ICSI cycles, 158 MI to MII matured oocytes were intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) h after in vitro culture and 553 MII oocytes were ICSI after denudation. The aspirated MI and GV oocytes were cultured in culture medium containing 10% (v/v) serum protein substitute (SPS), 10% (v/v) human follicular fluid (hFF) and 10% (v/v) serum protein substitute (SPS)+1 IU/ml FSH+10 IU/ml HCG+10 ng/ml recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF). The maturation rate of immature oocytes was similar among the three group. When maturation medium was supplemented with 10% SPS, 10% hFF or gonadotropins, the fertilization rate of in vitro matured oocytes was higher in 10% SPS (80.0%), but there was no statistical significance (78.2%; hFF, 76.9%; gonadotropin, p>0.05). The development rate of human embryos developed to cells were not significant difference in the medium containing SPS, hFF and gonadotropins (65.6%, 65.9% and 66.7%). The results of these study suggest that human follicular fluid and gonadotropins supplemented in the culture medium was not effected on the in vitro maturation, fertilization and development of human immature oocytes.

The brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) has been used to select the developmental competent oocytes in pigs, goats and cows. Growing oocytes have a higher level of active glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G6PDH) compare to mature oocytes and are rarely stained compared to mature oocytes, because G6PDH converts BCB to colorless. First polar body extrusion regard as a guideline of meoisis completion. Selection of polar body extrude oocyte is more developmental competent to blastocyst than unselected. This study was conducted to compare the BCB test to the polar body extrusion on selection of developmental competent porcine oocytes for the production of blastocyst. Cumulus-Oocytes complex were exposed to 26uM BCB stain diluted in NCSU-23 for 90 min. There was no significant difference embryo development to blastocysts between BCB treated and not treated(19.58±1.99 vs 18.75±2.27 %), which means there was no detrimental effect of BCB exposure to oocytes. Normal fertilization is not differed among treatment groups from 70.0 to 78.4% development to blastocyst, beside polyspermy did not. To compare two different selection methods, BCB test and polar body extrusion, evaluate the developmental competent of IVP embryos. BCB+PB+(blue stained and polar body extruded, 20.71±0.45%) and BCB－PB+(colorless and polar body extruded, 20.04±1.29%) groups are significantly (p<0.05) higher developed than those of BCB+PB－(blue stained and no polar body, 13.24±0.73%) and BCB－PB－(colorless and no poladbody, 7.25±0.77%). These results showed that selection of polar body extruded oocytes method is more efficient than that of BCB test.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the cleavage pattern, its developmental ability and apoptosis of porcine embryo in vitro. Morphology data on a total of 919 embryos were analyzed retrospectively. Forty-eight hours after insemination, embryos were classified into five groups based on the cleavage state as follows; 1 cell, 2 cell, 4 cell, 5 to 8 cell and fragmentation. These groups were cultured another 120 hours and then evaluated for blastocyst formation. Blastocyst formation rates were significantly higher in 4 cell (42.5%) and 5 to 8 cell (48.6%) cleaving groups than in other groups (p<0.05). On the other hand, 2 cell and fragmentation groups produced 4.9% and 3,9% blastocysts, respectively. And we could verify that in the event of 2 cell block and fragmentation of embryo. To analyze the apoptotic frequency in preimplantation development of porcine IVF embryos, all cells of each blastocyst were performed by TUNEL assay. There were no significantly differences in the total cell numbers of embryos and apoptotic cell rate in blastocysts among the each classified groups. Data suggest that 4 cell and 5 to 8 cell cleaving embryos at 48 hour after insemination have high developmental competence, and may be an useful parameter to predict the development of preimplantation embryos and to study using preimplanation embryonic research.