This study was conducted to investigate the effects of vitrification solution and developmental stage on the survival rate of vitrified-thawed human blastocyst embryos. Human blastocyst embryos were cryopreserved by vitrification using EFS and GE solution, and their survival rates were examined after thawing and further culture. EFS solution was consisted of 40% ethylene glycol, 18% Ficoll 70 and 0.3M sucrose. GE solution was consisted of 25% glycerol and 25% ethylene glycol. Embryos were exposed to EFS and GE solution by 2 steps and 3 steps, respectively, and plunged into liquid nitrogen after loading into 0.25ml plastic straws. Blastocysts were classified into 4 groups in accordance with their developmental stage: into 1) EEB, 2) MEB and 3) EdB, of blastocysts developed on day 5, and 4) 6d-Bla(the blastocysts which formed on day 6). The blastocysts at each stage were vitrified by GE solution and cryopreserved in LN2. After thawing them, we examined their survival rates, respectively. The resulted of this study were as follows: 1. The survival rate of blastocysts vitrified by GE solution was 64.4%, significantly higher than that (5.7%) vitrified by EFS solution (P<0.001). 2. When the blastocysts were vitrified by GE solution according to each developmental stage, the survival rates of EEB, MEB, EdB and 6d-Bla were 65.9%, 65.9%, 73.2% and 58.1%, respectively. In conclusion, the cryopreservation of human blastocysts by vitrification is likely to have a marked advantage in terms of cost, work and time as compared to the conventional slow freezing in IVF-ET programs.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the embryonic development ability and the appearance of blastocysts of bovine in vitro fertilized oocytes cultured in different culture media, and also to evaluate survival rate after thawing of frozen embryos by using 1.5 or 1.8M ethylene glycol(EG) with sucrose or trehalose. Fertilized oocytes were divided into three groups; i ) monolayer of cumulus /granulosa cell prepared by TGM 199+5% calf serum(TGM199), ii)GRlaa+5% CS, iii)SOF+5% CS, and they were cultured after insemination for 9 days, at 39˚C, under 5% in air, but SOF+5% CS was cultured at 39˚C, under 5% 02, 5% GO2, 99% N2. Blastocysts derived from GRlaa + 5% CS on day 7~8 after insemination were frozen by using 1.5M EG or 1.8M EG with/without 0.2M sucrose or O.1M trehalose. The development rate of blastocysts on day 7 after insemination in SOF+5% CS was significant higher than in TCM199 or CR1aa(P<0.05). The appearance rate of blastocysts on day 7-8 after insemination was higher than in TCM199, when fertilized oocytes were cultured in GRlas or SOF. The survival rate of frozen blastocysts after thawing tended to increase, when blastocysts were frozen by using 1.8M EG with 0.2M sucrose or O.1M trehalose. These results indicated that SOF or CRlaa media with amino acids was superior to TCM199 with monolayer in terms of blastocyst development in culturing of in vitro fertilized bovine nocytes, and sucrose or trehalose was supposed to prevent embryos from the freezing shock.

정식기에 의한 플러그묘 정식시 최적활착을 나타내는 관수량, 진압상태 등을 구명하여 관련정식기 개발과 최적 생육관리를 위한 기초자료를 획득하고자 기초시험과 포장실험을 실시한 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 작물별 정식 성공률은 정식호퍼 크기별로는 유의성이 없으며, 작물의 초장과 관련이 크며, 반자동 정식기의 최대 정식가능초장은 30cm, 최적초장은 28cm 이내로 조사되었으며, 고추와 배추 공히 정식시 관수 작업을 실시하려면 큰 규격의 호퍼가 적당할 것으로 판단되었다. 2. 정식 후 10일이 지난 상태에서 플러그묘의 생존율은 토양수분에 의한 영향이 크며, 고추의 경우 15%이상의 토양수분에서는 98%이상의 생존율을 보였고, 배추의 경우 16% 이상의 토양수분에서는 96% 이상의 생존율을 나타내었다. 그러나 고추와 배추를 심은 토양이 거의 완전 건조한 상태인 3.8%, 3.1% 각각의 토양수분에 대하여 15%와 14%의 생존율을 나타내었다. 따라서 토양수분 18% 이상에서는 정식시 관수가 필요 없고, 13%에서는 50cc 이상 관수가 필요하며, 토양의 수분이 3.8%이하일 때는 100cc 이상 초기관수 후 3일 내에 재관수가 필요할 것으로 판단되었다. 3. 좌우진압, 전후좌우진압의 생존율 차이는 없었으므로 현재의 반자동정식기 진압방식(좌우진압)의 개선은 필요하지 않았다.

Bovine oocytes surrounded with compact cumulus cells were cultured for 20 to 22 hours(, 5% ) in modified TCM-199 medium supplemented with 5% superovulated cow serum(SCS) and inseminated by in vitro capacitated spermatozoa. Day 7 to 8 embryos were equilibrated for 10 minutes in 1.3M methyl cellosolve(MC) <1.1M diethylene glycol(DEG), 1.8M ethylene glycol(EG), 1.6M propylene glycol(PG) and 1.1 M 1,3-butylene glycol(BG) solutions. They were then loaded into 0.25ml straws, placed into an alcohol bath freezer at , cooled from to at /minute, seeded, held for 10 minutes, and stored in liquid nitrogen. After thawing in water, the embryos wee rehydrated in TCM-199 medium and then cultured for 48 hours in TCM-199 plus 5% SCS. Embryos were considered viable if they progressed to later developmental stages with a good morphology. Some of the embryos frozen in each cryoprotectant were thawed and transferred non-surgically without removing the cryoprotectant. Hatched embryos survived freezing and one-step dilution as follows : EG(50.0%), MC(53.6%), DEG(56.9%), PG(58.0%) and BG(11.5%). The survival rate of embryos cooled at vs. /minute was not significantly different(P<0.05), however, blastocysts hatched most often (P<0.01) in vitro when cooled at a rate of /minute(64.6%), 31/48) than at /minute(22.6%, 12/53). Pregnancy rates resulting from embryos frozen in the different cryoprotectants were as follows : MC(48%, 10/21); DEG(30%, 3/10); EG(74%, 20/27); and PG(40%, 4/10). These results indicate that MC, DEG, EG and PG have utility as cryoprotectants for the freezing and thawing of IVF Bovine embryos.

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of cryoprotectants, equilibration step, freezing rate, culture condition following in vitro fertilization, and age and development stage of embryo by freezing with conventional slow freezing and vitrification on survival of frozen-thawed Korean native cattle(KNC) blastocysts produced in vitro. The KNC blastocysts produced in vitro were equilibrated in 1.8M ethylene glycol or 1.4M glycerol and cooled from -6 to -35 at -0.3 or -O.6 /minute. When equilibrated in 1.8M ethylene glycol, survival rate of fiozen4hawed blastocysts was sarne in both -0. 3 /min and -0.6 /min cooling rate(71.4%). With the equilibration in 1.4M glycerol, survival rate was higher in -0.3 /min(63.6%) than in -0.6 /min cooling rate(53.8%). For vitrification of the KNC blastocysts produced in vitro, they were equilibrated in 2-step or 3-step exposure to vitrification solution(25% ethylene glycol + 25% glycerol). Survival rate was sirilar in both 2-step(45.0%) and 3-step exposure(47.4%). According to culture condition following in vitro fertilization, higher survival rate was obtained for blastocysts co-cultured with bovine oviductal epithelial cell(BOEC, 77.3%) than for those cultured with epidermal growth factor(EGF, 65.7%) or for those co-cultured with BOEG + EGF (54.8%). According to embryo age and development stage, higher survival rate was obtained for 7-day ernbryos(70.0%) than 8-day(56.8%) or 9-day(20.0%) for blastocyst stage and obtained for 8-day embryos(74.3%) than 7-day(62.5%) or 9-day(42.9%) for exponded blastocyst. In surnmary, higher survival rate of frozen4hawed KNC blastocysts produced in vitro were obtained by using ethylene glycol for cryoprotectant and -0.3 /min for cooling rate. And higher survival rate were obtained with co-culture with BOEC for culture condition following in vitro fertilization and with 7-day blastocyst or 8-day expanded blasto cyst for embryo age and development stage.

This experiment was carried out to investigate the ovarian responses of the ovulation point, ovarian weight and size, the number of ovarian follicles and collected embryos, and to study the effects of the developmental stages (oocytes, 2-4 cell. 8-16 cell and morulae), additional levels of Ficoll (0, 15, 30%) on the survival rate (FDA-test) of rat embryos frozen in vitrification solution (20% glycerol + 10% ethylene glycol + 10% sucrose). Sunanarized results was as follows; 1. The mean ovulation point per head was 7, and the weight of ovaries was 0.03g. The size of ovary was 5.9 mm(L) and 4.6 mm(W), and the number of ovarian follicles over and below 2 mm was 4.7 and 8.7, respectively. The number of the collected embryos per head was 5.5 (79%). 2. 2. The FDA score of embryos frozen in 20 G 10 E 10 S without Ficoll was 2.8 (oocyte), 2.6 (2-4 cell), 3.9 (8-16 cell) and 3.6 (morula), respectively. However, there were no significant differences among treatments. 3. The FDA score of embryos frozen in 20 G 10 E 10 S with 15% Ficoll was 3.4 (oocyte), 4.0 (2-4 cell), 4.7 (8-16 cell) and 4.8 (morulae), respectively (P>0.05). 4. The FDA score of embryos frozen in 20 G 10 E 10 S with 30 % Ficoll was 3.7 (oocyte), 3.2 (2-4 cell), 4.4 (8-16 cell) and 4.4 (morulae), respectively (P>0.05). 5. As shown in the above results, the higher survival rate was obtained in the treatment of 15% Ficoll than that of 30%. And the survival rate (FDA-test)of the oocytes and 2-4 cell stages of the rat embryos was lower than that of 8~16 cell and morulae stages. It was considered that 8-16 cell and morulae could be available for the successful freezing by vitrification of rat embryos with 15% Ficoll except for oocytes.

This study was carried out to investigate On in vitro fertilization, survival rate and developmental rate of rapidly frozen bovine immature oocytes. Immature oocytes cultured for 1, 12, 24, 48 hours in 20% FCS + TCM-199 medium and thereafter rapidly freezing-thawed oocytes inseminated with capacitated sperm. The immature oocytes following dehydration by 1.5M DMSO + 2.0M glycerol + 0.25M sucrose + TCM 199 media + 20% FGS were directly plunged into liquid nitrogen and thawes in 3 water. Rapid freezing embryos co-cultured in 20% FCS + TCM-199 media containing hormones(21U/mL PMSG, 21U /mL hGG and 1 g /mL 17-estradiol) and cumulus cells(1 x 105-6 cells). Survival rate was defined as development rate on in vitro culture or FDA-test. The results are summarized as follows ; 1. The in vitro maturation and fertilization rate of immature bovine oocytes on in vitro maturation period(1, 12, 24, 48 hrs) before rapid freezing4hawed were 57.1%, 45.7%, 37.1%, 25.7% and 40.0%, 31.4%, 20.0%, 11.4%, respectively. 2. The survival rate of immature bovine oocytes on in vitro maturation period(1, 12, 24, 48 hrs) before rapid freezing-thawed were 33.3%, 26.7%, 20.0%, and 10.0%, respectively. The survival rate of rapid freezing4hawed immature oocytes was significantly lower than that of non-freezing oocytes. 3. The survival rate of rapid freezing4hawed excellent and good bovine embryos co-cultured in 20% FCS + TCM-199 media containing hormones(PMSG, hCG, 17-estradiol) and cumulus cells 4 to 5 hrs and 20 to 24 hrs were 35.0%, 15.0% and 25.0%, 15.0% and 40.0%, 20.0% and 30.0%, 15.0%, respectively. The survival rate of embryos co-cultured in TCM-199 media containing hormones and cumulus cells was significantly higher than that of non co-culture.

This study were carried out to investigate the effective concentration of cryoprotective agents and sucrose by one-step straw method, and to determine the optimum thawing temperature and equilibration time of frozen porcine embryos. The porcine embryos foflowing dehydration by cryoprotective agents and a various concentration of sucrose were directly plunged into liquid nitrogen and thawed in 3 water. Survival rate was defined by FDA test. The results are sunnnarized as follows : 1. The survival rates of porcine embryos after ultrarapid frozen4hawing in the freezing medium with a various concentration of glycerol, DMSO and propanediol added 0.25M sucrose were higher survival rate than those of sucrose concentration of 0.50M. 2. The survival rates of porcine embryos after ultrarapid ftozen4hawing in the freezing medium added 0.25M and 0.SOM sucrose were higher survival rate than those of sucrose concentration of 0.75M and 1.00M. 3. The temperature thawed at 2 and 3 resulted in a significantly higher embryos survival rate after 72 hrs in culture than did at 35. 4. The equilibration time on the survival rate of porcine embryos was attained after short period of time(2.5~5 min.) in the freezing medium higher than long period of time(10~20 min.).

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of unilateral ovariectomy on the embryo survival and changes of plasma progesterone and estradiol concentration. Mature Angora rabbits were divided into 2 groups (Superovulation and unilateral ovariectomy after superovulation). Unilateral ovariectomied rabilts were subdivided into two groups according to the time of ovariectomy (24 hours and 96 hours after mating). The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. After unilateral ovariectomy, survival rate and collecting rate of embryos recovered from contralateral and ipsilateral oviduct and uterus were not different, and were lower than intact rabbits. 2. Plasma progesterone concentration at 93, 99, 102 and 114 hours after HCG injection in superovulated rabbits were 12.9 0.5, 34.8 5.1, 12.2 2.7 and 43.4 5.8ng/ml, respectively. Mean progesterone concentrations were significantly higher at 99 and 114 hours than at 93 and 102 hours (p <0.05). But plasma estradiol concentration was not different. 3. Plasma progesterone concentration in unilateral ovariectomized rabbits was somewhat decreased after unilateral ovariectomy. Plasma estradiol concentration was not different.