Serum metabolites were analyzed to investigate relationship of pregnancy and non-pregnancy Hanwoo cows. Totally, 251 Hanwoo cows were used in the present study. Grazing was carried out for 5 months in the pasture. In barn feeding, concentrate 3.0 Kg (TDN 68%, CP 14%) and rice straw 6 kg(TDN 50%, CP 6.5%) were fed. For artificial insemination (AI), progesterone-supplying device (CIDR) was introduced to vagina of Hanwoo cows and 2.0 mL of GnRH. One week after introduction, CIDR was removed and 5.0 mL of PGF2α was injected intramuscularly. After 2.5 day, AI was accompanied by a 2 mL of GnRH intramuscular injection and a second AI was carried out 3.5 day. The pregnancy diagnosis was confirmed by rectal palpation about 90 days after AI. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein after 3 hours of feeding. Analysis of serum metabolites was performed on six types of metabolites: glucose(mg/dl), cholesterol(mg/mL), BUN(mg/dl), AST(U/L), ALT(U/l), and nonessterified fatty acids(NEFA, uEq/L). The metabolic profile test was analyzed by analyzer (Hitachi, 7020, Japan). Pregnant and non-pregnant groups showed serum metabolites as follows. In 60 pregnant group: Glucose 88.9 ± 2.5, Cholesterol 149.8 ± 4.9, BUN 16.9 ± 0.4, AST 99.1 ± 2.6, ALT 35.9 ± 0.9 and NEFA 326.7 ± 15.7. In 43 non-pregnant cow group: Glucose 89.2 ± 3.3, Cholesterol 165.9 ± 4.6, BUN 17.4 ± 0.6, AST 108.9 ± 0.6, ALT 37.8 ± 1.0 and NEFA 419.2 ± 32.8. Cholesterol, AST and NEFA levels in non-pregnant cows were significantly higher than those in pregnant cows (P<0.05). In sum of grazing and barn feeding group was totally 148 cows. Seventy nine pregnant cows showed high glucose and low NEFA levels compared to 69 non-pregnant cows (P<0.05). In conclusion, pregnant group showed high level of glucose and low level of cholesterol, NEFA. Further study needed to obtain more accurate level of metabolites in serum for pregnant and non-pregnant cows.

Because the pig is a valuable candidate for a preclinical model of human cell therapy as well as an important food source, understanding a physiology of pig myogenic progenitors such as skeletal muscle satellite cells and myoblasts is required for cure of muscular diseases and improvement of meat production. For these reasons, we tried to isolate and culture the pig progenitor cells from skeletal muscle. Pig satellite cells, known as muscle stem cells, were isolated from biceps femoris of neonatal pigs by enzymatic digestion method. Muscle satellite cells are quiescent in uninjured muscle. Upon injury, they are activated into proliferating state, known as myoblasts, by growth factors and, in turn, differentiated forward to myocytes and myotubes. To trigger proliferation in vitro, the isolated satellite cells were cultured with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and dexamethasone (BMP4 inhibitor). As a result, the pig satellite cells were efficiently converted into proliferating myoblasts and stably maintained over an extended period. The myoblasts were confirmed by markers of PAX7, MYF5, and MYOD1. Our finding showed that modulating EGF and BMP4 signaling are essential for maintaining muscle stem cells. This culture method could be applied for a production of cultured meat and further basic research of muscle development. This work was supported by the Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in food, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries (IPET) through the Development of High Value-Added Food Technology Program funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA; 118042-03-1-HD020).

In vitro culture (IVC) can be used for a variety of assisted reproductive technologies. However, IVC in dog has been low efficient compared to other mammalian. It is believed that an embryo developmental block in IVC embryos is cause of low production efficiency. There is no study of embryo developmental block in dog yet. In this study, we attempted to estimate the beneficial role of EDTA in canine parthenogenic (PA) embryos development to overcome embryo developmental block. The PA embryos were divided into EDTA treated and non-treated groups. Embryo developmental efficiency was measured by activating chemically parthenote. After EDTA induction, PA embryos were evaluated for embryonic development, ROS activity, mitochondrial integrity, ATP production and genomic activation. The EDTA treated PA embryos showed significantly higher survival rate and improved cavity formation compared to non-treated. Moreover, cytoplasmic ROS level was mitigated and mitochondrial membrane potential was found significantly higher in EDTA treated group followed by higher ATP production. Furthermore, major embryonic genomic activation specific markers/factors were also elevated in EDTA treated group. Conclusively, these results indicated that EDTA showed substantially positive effect to overcome embryo developmental block in canine.