The ultrasound-guided oocytes cllection (ovum pick-up ; OPU) has become a substitution for superovlation in cattle. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of OPU frequency on the in vitro production of embryos in Hanwoo cattle. Six cycling Hanwoo cows were distributed into two groups for either once or twice weekly OPU sessions. Oocytes were collected by ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration(SA600) using a 6.5HMz transducer and attached with 18 gauge needle, with vacuum pressure of 40 mmHg. The cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) collected from each donor were matured in TCM 199 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum at 5% CO2 in air at 38.5 for 22h and in vitro matured oocytes were co-incubated with sperm(separated by Percoll gradient) for 6h. The zygotes were co-cultured on cumulus cell monolayer in 10ul droplets in the same culture medium and conditions used for IVM for 7 days. On Day 7 of culture, development to blastocysts was examined. Although the number of oocytes collected was variable depending on individuals, overall embryo production in the twice per week OPU sessions was better that in the once per week sessions(6~21 vs 2~7 blastocysts produced, respectively). Two cows(E, A) were good oocyte donors and embryo production was superior in cow C ; however, cow F was a poor donor as compared to the others. In conclusion, these results suggest that for embryo production, twice weekly OPU sessions were better than once per week for producing embryos in vitro from Hanwoo cattle
This experiment was undertaken to investigate the effect of administration of Agyoju or Mokhyang on the maintenance of pregnancy, delivery and sex ratio in the mice in different gestation periods. Adult female mice were administered orally at three different periods, from ovulation to implantation (Exp.1), from post-implantation to organogenesis (Exp.2), and from fetal growth to parturition (Exp.3). In Experiment 1, number of fetus implanted and mean body weight were not significantly different. However, the delivery of male offspring was significantly increased in Agyoju and Mokhyang administrated groups than control group. In Experiment 2, the number of fetuses implanted, live offsprins and their body weight at delivery were significantly increased in the Agyoju administered group than Mokhyang and control groups. In Experiment 3, the number of live offspring and sex ratio were not different in both treatments and control group. However, mean body weight at delivery was significantly increased in both treatment groups than that of control group. These results suggest that 1) Agyoju and Mokhyang have beneficial effects in maintenance of pregnacy, and that 2) The action of unknown component(s) in Agyoju may be related to selection of male spermatozoa for fertilization in vivo, and that 3) the administration of Agyju of Mojhyang during mid-and late-pregnance periods were shown the increment of body weight of live offspring without decrease of litter size.
These studies were undertaken to evaluate morphological normality and development competence in vitro of hyman oocytes following vitrificatioin using ethylene glycol and electron microscopic grid. Human immature oocytes retrieved from natural and stimulated cycles was vitrified at 0 or 48 h and 0, 8 to 15 or 24 to 28 h after maturation culture, respectively. In oocytes retrieved from unstimulated cycle, no signifciant differences were found in morphological normality (56 to 63%) and fertilization (31 to 37%) rates between the times of vitrification. In stimulated patients, however, more oocytes were morphologically normal when vitrified at 24 to 28 h than when vitrified at 0 or 8 to 15 h after maturation culture. Regardlesss of the hormonal stimulation, high cleavage rates(83 to 100%) were obtained in all treatment groups but did not differ significantly. Twenty to 43% of cleaved oocytes developed to the blastocyst stage at 6 days after IVF. These results suggest that vitrified oocytes from unstimulated and stimulated cycles could develop to the blastocyst stage, regardless of the stages of vitrification.
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of quiescent treatment of donor cells and activation treatment time of recipient cytoplasm on nuclear remodeling and in vitro development of somatic cell-cloned bovine embryos. Serum starved, confluent and nonquiescent cycling adult skin cells were teansferred into enucleated oocytes. Nuclear transfer oocytes were activated at 30 min, 1 and 2 hrs after electrofusion. Some nuclear transfer embryos(23% to 35%) extruded a polar body, which was not affected by quiescent treatment of donor cells and activiation time of recipient cytoplasm. About 68% of nuclear transfer embryos fused with a serum starved cells has a chromatin clump, but which was not different from embryos fused with confluent(51%) and nonquiescent(47%) cells. The proportion of embryos with a single chromatin clump was sightly increased when nuclear transfer embryos were activated within 30 min after fusion(69%) compared to those were activated at 1 and 2 hrs after fusion, but there was not significantly different. Development rates to the blastocyst stage were 8.6% and 15.9% when serum starved and confluent cells were transferred, which were higher than that of control group. Developmental rate to the blastocyst stage was higher in embryos were activated within 30 min after fusion (17.3%) compared to those of embryos were activated at 1 and 2 hrs after fusion (P<0.05). From the present result, it is suggested that quiescent treatment of donor cells and activation time of recipient cytoplasm can affect the in vitro development. Quiescent plasm activation within 30 min after fusion could increase the number of embryos with a normal chromation structure, which results in increased in vitro development.
This study was undertaken in an effort to select the sire bull in Hanwoo through in vitro fertilization of proven bull semen. It was used for in vitro fertilization that of the 20 proven bull semen with follicular oocytes derived from slaughterhouse ovaries of Hanwoo. The stage of maturation on the time course of bovine cumulus-enclosed oocytes incubated for 24 hours was found the highest(96.4%) than hose of other maturationi time. In vitro fertilization rate of bovine oocytes with proven bull sperm showed from 61.5 to 88.9%. Polyspermy of in vitro fertilized oocytes according to proven bulls were the highest KP 491(61.5%) nothing but KP 486, KP 491 and KP 497.
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of hormones, protein sources and anti-oxidants on in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization(IVF) of bovine follicular oocytes. The rates of Holstein follicular oocytes classified as grade A and B(50.2% and 33.2%) were higher than those of Hanwoo cattle(40.3% and 32.0%, P<0.05). The cumulus cell expansion rates of oocytes cultured in TCM-199 and Ham's F-10 medium supplemented with 10% FCS and hormones were higher (81.9~87.6%) than those of non-treated groups (74.5~81.7%). The fertilization rates of oocytes cultured in TCM-199 and Ham's F-10 medim supplemented with 10% FCS, 1% BSA and 10% bFF was 53.8~55.0%, 51.4~52.6%, and 47.0~50.0%, respectively. The polyspermy rates was 13.6~14.2%, 10.0~11.1%, and 10.0%, respectively. When the oocytes were cultured in TCM-199 and Ham's F-10 medium with 50 -tocopherol, the fertilization rates was 62.0 and 60.2%, respectively. In the maturation medium added of 100 cysteamine, the fertilization rates was 64.7 and 66.7%, respectively. The fertilization and polyspermy rates of treated groups were higher than those of non-treated group. The results show that hormones, protein sources and anti-oxidants can provide a benefit for in vitro maturation and fertilization of bovine follicular oocytes.
This study was carried out to improve a technique of embryo transfer for twin calves production in Hanwoo cattle. Blastocysts for the donor of embryo transfer were classified into three criteria by accessment of morphology; early blastocyst, blastocyst and expanded blastocyst. Tow embryos were introduced transcervically into utrerine horn either of Hanwoo or Holstein by ipsilaterally or contralaterally to the corpus luteum. Thiry-six out of 57 recipients cows were inseminated by artificially on the next day of estrus, and followed by transfer of embryos into contralaterally. The pregnance rates of recipients following transfer of bovine embryos of day 7, 8 and 9 was 43.5, 18.2 and 8.3%, respectively. These results appeared that these was a significant (P<0.05) difference between on day-7 embryos and day-9 embryos, but not between on day-8 and day-9 embryos. Although there was not significant(P<0.05) difference in the pregnancy rates between the blastocysts(11/25, 44%) and expanded blastocysts(2/19, 10.5%) and between the blastocysts and early blastocysts(2/13, 15.4%), the embryos at blastocyst stage are more suitable than others for obtaining higher rate of pregnancy. There was no significant difference on pregnancy of the embryos transferred prior to presence(6/21, 29%) or absence (9/36, 25%) of artificial insemination. On pregnancy of Holstein, 2(15.4%) out of 13 recipients were pregnant in heifer. Similar Pregnancy rates were obtained between 1∼2 parities and 3∼4 parities by 30% (6/20) and 27.3%(3/11), respectively. Taken together, there was not significant difference in pregnancy rate due to small number of recipients used for this experiment. Both of Hanwoo and Holstein introduced the embryos by contralsterally to the corpus luteum were slightly higher pregnancy rate compare to by ipsilaterally (12/41, 29.3% vs, 3/16, 18.8%). The ratio of production of twin and single calves in Holstein was 20% (9/45) and 2.2% (1/45), respectively. However, in Hanwoo cows both of production of twin and single were similar as 8%. This result suggests that Holstein as recipients was superior to Hanwoo cows for production of twin calves. Out of all 15 pregnant, 12(80%) were produced a total of 22 normal calves in which the others composed of abnormal, as judging as 2(13.3%) for abortion and 1(6.6%) for stillbirth during the pregnant period.
The objective of this study was to apply the multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) program practically in dairy herds. Forty five superior Holstein cows ranked in 5% according to Type-Production Index(TPI) in Korea were selected as donors. The donors were superovulated with pFSH and the embryos collected from donors were frozen and preserved. The preserved embryos and frozen Holstein embryo imported from foreign country were thawed and transferred to recipients. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The total number of ova and freezable embryos collected per donor was 6.5 and 2.8, respectively. 2. The freezable embryos were obtained more(p<0.05) when the body condition score (BCS) of donors was in range of 2.50∼3.25(4.1) than in range of 3.50∼4.00(1.9), while the total number of ova was not changed. 3. The season affected on the collected number of freezable embryos(6.1 in winter, 4.5 in fall, 1.1∼1.5 in spring and summer, P<0.05), and the total number of obtained ova were more in winter than in other seasons(P<0.05). 4. Embryos were transferred to 343 recipients and 152 cows were confirmed pregnant(44.3%). 5. The higher pregnancy was obtained (P<0.05) when embryos were transferred in summer(53.3%) than in fall(36.0%), while the pregnancy rate was not affected by the origin and developmental stage of embryos, and the parity, BCS and estrus induction of recipients. From these results, the pregnancy rate was considered to be acceptable for the embryo transfer with domestic or imported Holstein embryos, however embryo production from superior Holstein donors was unsatisfactory for application of MOET scheme.
This study was conducted to establish the optimal conditions for in vitro embryo production using oocytes derived from follicles of slaughter-house ovaries. The ovaries of Hanwoo were obtained from a local slaughter-house. The oocytes were aspirated from visible follicles of 2~7mm in diameter. The recovered oocytes which were completely surrounded by at least 2 layers of cumulus cells and a homogeneous cytoplasmic pigmentation were used. The selected oocytes were washed 3 or 4 times with D-PBS containing 10% bovine calf serum (BCS) and matured in vitor (IVM) in Ham's F-10 supplemented with 10% BCS or 0.01 /ml epidermal growth factor(EGF) at 39 under 5% CO2 in air for 24 hours. They were fertilizqed in vitro (IVF) with fresh sperm separated by Percoll density gradient or swim-up in TALP media. The zygotes were cultrued with or without bovine oviductal epitherial cells(BOEC) in media(HECM-6 supplemented with 11 amino acid and / or TCM-199 supplemented with 10% BCS) for 7 to 10 days. The results obtained were as follow: The cleavage rate and developmental rate to blastocyst after maturation and IVF were not significantly different between Ham's F-10 with EGF(76.0% vs. 44.0%) and BCS(75.9% vs. 43.6%)(P<0.05). The cleavage rate and development rate to blastocyst after fertilizing by swim-up or Percoll method were not signifciantly(P<0.05) different between swim-up (80.2% vs. 29.2%) and Percoll(81.9% vs. 26.5%) (P<0.05). The cleavage rate in TCM 199(80.5) was signficiantly higher than that in HECM-6 (72.0%) (P<0.05). However, developmental rate to blastocyst using TCM 199 following HECM-6 for 3 or 4 days (42.2%) was significantly higher than that in TCM-199 alone(26.7%)(P<0.05). The cleavage rate and development rate of embryos produced in vitro by exchange timing for HECM-6 media were not significantly different between in day 3(78.6% vs. 45.5%) and day 4(75.0% vs. 43.2%)(P<0.05). The cleavage rate and developmental rate to blastocysts according to co-culture system were not significantly different between with (74.2% vs. 41.4%) and without BOEC(73.95 vs. 43.5%) (P<0.05). The number of blastomere in blastocyst stage after co-culture with or without BOEC was not significantly different (106.75.1 and 96.64.0). In conclusion, the most transferable IVP embryos could be produced from Ham's F-10 medium for IVM, Percoll density gradient method for IVF sperm separation and in vitro culture in HECM-6 until day 3 or day 4, and then transferred into TCM-199 until day 9 within adequate embryo density in culture droplets after insemination.
The purpose of this study was to develop a breeding technique to increase Hanwoo of superior characteristics. In the present study, reproductive status of Hanwoo such as size of farm, breeding system and gestationi length was investigated. In addition, effect of low dose administration of prostaglandin F2(PGF2) on luteolysis was examined. The size of farm was classified by the total number of cows and the number of breeding stocks, respectively. The distribution of herd size of < 5, 6~10, 11~30, 31~50 and > heads was 31%, 15%, 39%, 4% and 11%, respectively. Furthermore, the distribution of breeding stock size of <5, 6~10, 11~30, 31~50 and > 50 heads was 36%, 28%, 31%, 3% and 3%, respectively. Average parity was 2.1 in breeding stock. In breeding pattern, artificial in semination(A.I), estrus synchronization-A.I and natural mating was 92.7%, 2.4% and 4.9% respectively. Gestational length of Hanwoo was ranged 253~316 days (average length : 285 days) after estrus( estrus=0). To induce luteolysis, PGF2 was injected into ovarian parenchyma by a modified ovarian injector. The effect of administration of 6mg PGF2 on luteolysis and estrus induction was betweer (P<0.01) when PGF2 was administered into ovarian parechyma than when administered intramuscluarly (71 vs. 91%). When PGF2 was injected into ovarian parenchyma, a decreased concentration to 3 mg did not significantly decreaed its luteolytic effect(92%). When AI was performed following PGF2 treatment, the intraovarian injection group yielded a higher pregnancy rate(69 vs. 88%) than the IM injection groups, regardless of the dosage. In conclusion these results suggest that increasing herd size and regular reproductive management are needed to improve reproductive efficiency in Hanwoo industry. Furthermore, intraovarian administration of PGF2 is effective way to induce luteolysis compared with intramuscular injection.
These experiments were conducted to examine the effects of theophylline, pentoxifylline and heparin on frozen-thawed Hanwoo sperm for enhancing motility and viability of sperm. Frozen-thawed semen collected from one bull was treated in TALP(tyrode-albuminlactate-pyruvate) containing varous concentrations of theophylline and pentoxifylline. After incubated at 5% CO2 in air atmosphere for 6 hours, the motility of sperm after the treatments was characterized by CASA(computer aided semen analysis) system. When monitored notility(MOT) and curvilinear velocity(VCL), theophylline and pentoxifylline exerted their optimal action at the concentration of 30 mM and 3 mM, respectively. No difference of sperm motility was observed when the sperm was treated with both substances compared with a single treatment of each substance. Comparison was then made for evaluating the effect of theophylline and / or pentoxiophylline on the motility and viability of significant treatment effects of each substance, high MOT and VCL values were detected in sperm treated with theophylline. In the case of sperm viability examined by an eosin-nigrosin staining, however, a significant decrease was found after the combined treatment of theophylline+pentoxyphilline than after the treatment with heparin alone or no treatment(P<0.05). In conclusion, theophylline, pentoxiphylline or heparin can be used for enhancing the motional characteristics and viability of frozen thawed Hanwoo semen. Considering characteristics of these substances, theophyline may be useful in the artificial insemination system, which requires vigorous sperm motility. While, heparin supporting sperm viability in vitro can be effectively used for improving in vitro-fertilization system.
Techniques for manipulation of spermatozoa and oocytes have been widely used for in vitro production(IVP) of Hanwoo. This study was conducted to examine the effects of theophylline and heparin on frozen-thawed Hanwoo sperm for enhancing the efficiency of IVP technique. Oocytes were inseminated with forzen bull semen treated with either theophylline or heparin for examining the effect of each substance on fertilization and subsequent development. More (P<0.05) oocytes formed pronucleus and develop to the morula and blastocyst stages after inseminated with sperm treated with heparin than after inseminated with sperm treated with theophylline. The pregnancy rate after embryo transfer was higher after heparin treatment than after theophylline treatment, but did not differ significantly. There was no significant difference of offspring delivery between two groups. In conculsion, theophylline and heparin can be used for enhancing the efficiency of IVP system for Hanwoo. Considering characteristics of these substance, theophylline may be useful in the artificial insemination system, which requires vigorous sperm motility. While, heparin supporting sperm viability in vitro can be effectively used for improving in vitro-fertilization system.
The object of this study was to find simple and effective methods for the speculation of vitality and scorsome status of bovine spermatozoa. The eosin-nigrosin staining, trypan blue staining, and naphthol yellow S-erythrosin B staining was ofter used for the speculation of vitality and/or acrosome status of bovine spermatozoa, respectively. This study has shown that the combined trypan blue-naphthol yellow S-erythrosin B staining is more accurate and effective for the examination of acrosome status and vitality of bovine spermatozoa.