Although recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Proteins-2 (rhBMP-2) is clinically useful for bone regeneration, induction of new bone formation requires a large amount of rhBMP-2 in humans. Many investigators have been concentrated efforts on searching materials which enhance the effect of rhBMP-2, and then heparin was found as a potentiating material to rhBMP-2. The purpose of this study were histomorphometrically to analyze the enhancing effect of heparin to rhBMP-2 and to study the mode of actions of heparin to rhBMP-2. Stem cells obtained from rabbit adipose tissue were divided into 4 groups according to heparin concentrations(0, 0.25, 2.5, and 25 μg/ml) with a constant rhBMP-2 concentration(150 ng/ml) and cultured for 2, 4, and 8 days. Naphtol AS phosphate-fast blue BB staining for alkaline phosphatase content and Alizarin red staining for calcium content were performed as time schedules and the morphology and osteoblastic activity were observed closely. 5 μg/ml rhBMP-2 was mixed with the following doses of heparin: 0, 0.25, 2.5, and 25 μg/ml. Each mixture was blotted into 0.5 g of multiporous anorganic bovine bone and was inserted into the critical sized calvarial defects(diameter of 0.8-mm) of rabbits. After 1, 3, and 6 weeks, the harvested tissues were processed and stained using H&E and Masson’s trichrome methods. And the areas of newly formed bone in the grafted material were measured and statistically analyzed. During culture experiment of adipose stem cells with rhBMP-2 and heparin, the degree of osteoblastic differentiation was increased with increasing heparin concentration, but the cellular degeneration was accelerated at higher concentration of heparin as time passed. Consequently the osteoblastic differentiation of progenitor cells were accelerated as the concentration of heparin increased. In addition, the progenitor cells exhibited full differentiations early showing fast degeneration. The higher the concentration of heparin, larger newly formed bone in grafted materials was obtained in initial period. However, the increased amount of the newly formed bone in grafted materials was progressively decreased at the higher concentration of heparin as time passed. In conclusion, the heparin has influence on the osteoinductive effect of rhBMP-2 in the initial stage of bone formation. The use of heparin with rhBMP-2 could offer cheaper, safer, and improve clinical results in grafting procedures.

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of tissue inhibitor of matalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), Activin A and Heparin binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) on in vitro production of bovine embryos. In experiment 1, presumptive zygotes were cultured in the medium supplemented with TIMP-1 (0.5 μg/ml), Activin A (100 ng/ml), or HB-EGF (100 ng/ml) at 39 ℃ in a humidified atmosphere of 5% (v/v) CO2, 5% (v/v) O2 and 90% (v/v) N2. In experiment 2, TIMP-1 + HB-EGF or Activin A + HB-EGF combinations were supplemented in the culture medium. The developmental rate to blastocysts, hatching rate and total cell numbers of the blastocysts were evaluated in both experiments. The embryos cultured in medium without growth factor supplementation was used as control group. In experiment 1, the embryos cultured in medium supplemented with TIMP-1 and Activin A showed significantly higher developmental rate to blastocysts than those cultured with HB-EGF and control (36.9%, 34.1%, 21.2% and 23.1%, respectively) (P<0.0001). However, the hatching rate of blastocyst was significantly higher in embryos with HB-EGF than those with TIMP-1, Actvin A and Control groups (84.4%, 58.8%, 51.4% and 49.3%, respectively) (P<0.001). Total cell number per blastocyst was also significantly higher in embryos with HB-EGF group (174.3±2.5) than those with TIMP-1, Activin A (149.7 and 150.0, respectively) (P<0.05) and Control (119.0) (P<0.001). In experiment 2, embryos cultured with combined treatment of Activin A and HB-EGF resulted in significantly higher rates of blastocysts formation (48.0%), hatching rate (89.7%) and total cell number in blastocyst (182.3±2.1) than those with TIMP-1 and HB-EGF combination group (32.0%, P<0.001; 76.6%, P<0.05; 165.7±4.2, P<0.001, respectively). Our data demonstrate that in vitro production of bovine embryos could be improved by combined supplementation of Activin A and HB-EGF in culture medium.

The regeneration of periodontium is the goal of periodontal therapy. Many periodontologists try to achieve this goal by using guided tissue regeneration(GTR) method. However, these procedures always include several disadvantages. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) stimulated ectopic bone formation when it was implanted in rat muscles with insoluble bone matrix by differentiating muscle cells into chondrocytes and osteoblasts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the osteoinductive potential of the mixture of rhBMP-2 (5 μg/ml) and heparin (0.25 or 25 μg/ml ) at the critically sized rabbit calvarial defects. And this study aimed to reveal that heparin also acts to enhance the bone forming activity of rhBMP-2. The 12 rabbits (4-month-old; NewZealand White) were used in the present study. 5 μg/ml of rhBMP-2 and 0, 0.25 or 25 μg/ml of heparin were mixed and blotted into anorganic bovine bone and filled cranial defects. The animals were sacrificed following a time schedule (1, 3, and 6 weeks). Sections were made in 7 μm thicknesses, stained with H&E and Masson's trichrome method, and examined under a light microscope. The differences among each obtained percent value were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance. A p value of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant and an ANOVA test was performed to verify significant differences. To adjust for multiple comparisons when one-way analysis of variance showed a significant difference between groups (p<0.05), Scheffe`s post hoc test was used to identify which group differences accounted for the significant p-value. In control group, osteoinduction was not outstanding, however, in experimental groups, osteoinduction was significantly outstanding, and as the concentration of heparin mixed with rhBMP-2 increased, osteoinduction was increased. Mixtures of rhBMP-2 and heparin affect bone formation at initial bone formation, but that effect disappeared following a time lapse.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are known to promote osteogenesis, and clinical trials are currently underway evaluating the ability of BMPs to promote bone formation in grafting procedures and fracture healing. Some studies, have independently reported that sulfated polysaccharides particularly heparin, enhance the osteoblastic differentiation induced by BMPs in vitro, and another study demonstrated that heparin enhanced the bone formation induced by BMP‐2 in vivo. This study was performed to examine adipose stem cell responses to rhBMP‐2 alone and rhBMP‐2 with heparin at 0.25, and 25 μg/㎖ concentrations, respectively, in culture media. Adipose stem cells were cultured for 2, 4, and 8 days toward the osteoblastic differentiation in rhBMP‐2 alone and rhBMP‐2 with heparin at 0.25, and 25 μg/㎖ concentrations, respectively, in culture media. Verification of the stem cell lineage was performed in two ways. The first method was a continuous sequential culture until 5th generation. The second method was using monoclonal antibodies for STRO‐1 and CD 90. Naphthol AS phosphate‐fast blue BB staining for alkaline phosphatase was used for verifying osteoblastic differentiation because Alkaline phosphatase activity had been used as an osteoblastic differentiation marker and degree of osteoblastic activity. Alizarin red staining was also used as an osteoblastic differentiation marker because it quantifies the calcium levels in cells or tissues. During the 5th generation culture, cultured cells actively proliferated, and these cultured cells showed a positive reaction to STRO‐1 and CD90 cell surface molecules. Naphthol AS phosphate‐fast blue BB staining and Alizarin red staining were positive in most samples of each group at 2, and 4 days and positive reaction was proportioned to degree of morphological differentiation. In the concentration of 25 μg/ml of heparin, the ALP activity was highest at the 2nd day in the culture, and then the activities of ALP were decreased significantly at 4, and 8 days. The ALP activity was greatest at the 4th day of the culture, and then decreased significantly at the 8th day in 0 μ g/ml and 0.25 μg/ml of heparin concentrations, Adipose stem cells could be differentiated in rhBMP‐2 in culture media, and the addition of heparin to BMP‐2 promoted differentiation of osteoblasts. Moreover, morphological differentiation was associated with the activity of osteoblasts. This study was shown that, when heparin concentration increases, the early differentiation of the cells was brought about, but the early differentiated cells were rapidly progressed to degenerative changes

본 연구는 정자 내의 phsopholipid hydroxide glutathion peroxidase (PHGPx) mRNA 발현 수준, heparin-binding protein (HBP) mRNA 발현 수준, 수태율 그리고 산자수 사이의 관계를 조사하고자 실시하였다. 수태율과 산자수 사이에 있어서 상관관계는 나타나지 않았다. PHGPx mRNA 발현 수준에 있어 산자수가 10두 이상 군에서 (2,414.7±400.7) 8두 미만 군보다 (1,875.8±311.2) 높게 나타났으나 유의적인 차이는 없었다. HBP mRNA 발현 수준에 있어서도 산자수 10두 이상 군에서 (2,255.9±360.8) 8두 미만 군보다 (2,155.4±378.0) 약간 높은 결과를 보였으나, 유의적인 차이는 인정되지 않았다. PHGPx mRNA 발현 수준과 산자수 사이의 관계는 (r=0.206) 정의 상관관계를 보였으나, 유의한 상관관계는 나타나지 않았다. 본 실험의 결과, PHGPx와 HBP의 발현수준이 수태율, 산자수와 유의한 상관관계를 보이지 않았기 때문에 PHGPx와 HBP가 정자의 수정능력을 예측하기에는 미흡한 면이 있다.

Heparin-bindin epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) is one of the EGF family to be expressed at the time of implantation in the mouse uterus. Although HB-EGF has been shown to stimulate the development of embryo and uterus in the mouse, its correlation between cell adhesion molecules remains undefined. Integrin , one of the cell adhesion molecules, is an important mediator of cell-substratum and cell-cell adhesion in implantation. In the present studies, we investigated the effects of HB-EGF on the embryonic development, initiation of implantation and expression of integrin in in vitro culture, blocking of HB-EGF, RT-PCR and immunofluores cence analysis. The results showed that HB-EGF significantly improved the developmental rate of hatched embryos (24.1%, p<0.01) and outgrowth embryos (42.5%, p<0.01). On the other hand, this growth factor showed no offset before the hatching embryonic stage. Analysis of RT-PCR showed that HB-EGF upregulated the expression level of integrina subunit genes on the preimplantation embryo and outgrowth of blastocyst (120hr and 144hr after hCG injection). Immunofluorescence analysis showed that the integrin subunits localized at the pericellular borders and cell-cell contact areas. Increase in fluorescence intensity was observed in the HB-EGF treated embryos. Intrauterine injection of an anti-HB-EGF antiserum at day 3 significantly decreased the number of implantation sites (14.4, p<0.01) and significantly increased the number of recovered embryos(6.4, p<0.05) at day 5. From these results, it imply that HB-EGF improve the embryo development and accelerated the expression of integrin in the preimplantation mouse embryos.

To make up the medium for quantitative selection of capacitated-sperm through sucrose layer, the effects of BSA, caffeine, heparin and progesterone on sperm swim-up migration and movement were examined. And the results obtained were as follows; 1. BSA of 4mg/ml in bMSS stimulated sperm migration and movement, and attracted capacitated-sperm. 2. Caffeine of 5mM in bMSS containing 4mg/ml BSA stimulated sperm movement and attracted capacitated-sperm. 3. Heparin of 20/ml in bMAA containing both 4mg/ml BSA and 5mM caffeine stimulated movement and capacitation of sperm. 4. Progesterone of 50/ml in bMSS containing all 4mg/ml BSA, 5mM caffeine and 20/ml heparin (BCHP-MSS) attracted capacitated-sperm. 5. Effect of BCHP-MSS on sperm on sperm attraction was not different from effect of 10% follicular fluid solution (FF-MSS) on sperm swim-up separation. In conclusion, bMSS with 4mg/ml BSA, 5mM caffeine, 20/ml heparin and 50/ml progesterone(BCHP-MSS) was a optimal condition for selection of capacitated-sperm through sucrose layer.

Effects of caffeine, heparin and caffeine-heparin treatments for in vitro capacitation of Korean Native Cattle sperm on acrosorne reaction and viability were studied using the methods of Wells-Awa and Dual stain. The results were summerized as follows: 1. The acrosome reaction of sperm when treated with caffeine after 0 to 4 hrs of preincubation were 11.0~75.7% for Wells-Awa stain, and 14.3~75.55% for Dual stain. True acrosome reaction of sperm for Dual stain was 3.0~29.2%. The viability of sperm was 62. 2~27.2%. 2. The acrosome reaction of sperm when treated with heparin after 0 to 4 hrs of preincubation were 17.0~81.2% for Wells-Awa, and 14.3~75.5% for Dual Stain. True acrosome reaction of sperm for Dual stain was 1.5~26.6%. The viability of sperm was 58.6~35. 8%. 3. The acrosome reaction of sperm when treated with caffeine-heparin after 0 to 4 hrs of preincubation were 13.0~83.2% for Wells Awa, and 11.0~78.5% for Dual stain. True acrosome reaction of for Dual stain was 5.1~26.3%. The viability of sperm was 60.5~30.1%.