Solution of glycerol, ethylene glycol, sucrose, dextrose (GESD) and cryotop methods were carried out to investigate the survivability on vitrification of embryos. Embryos cultured in vitro were vitrified by GESD of 10 or 8 step and cryotop methods of 6 step, from cryopreservation step to frozen-thawed and culture step. Survival rate and ICM, TE cells of embryos were investigated after frozen-thawed 24 h. As a results, cryotop method was significantly (p<0.05) higher ( vs. , ) than GESD 10 or 8 step methods on survivability. Also, In ICM cell number, cryotop method was significantly (p<0.05) higher to cells than GESD 8 step method. TE cell number was significantly (p<0.05) highest to cells in cryotop method. On the other hand, survival rate, TE and total cell number were all the significantly (p<0.05) high, except ICM in GESD 10 step method between GESD 10 step method and GESD 8 step method. In conclusion cryotop method was to be most effective, but it is considered necessary to study vitrification method for step-by-step freezing and thawing process.

This study was carried out to effects of ethylene glycol concentration, sucrose and culture day of in vitro production embryo on slow-down freezing in Hanwoo. 6, 7, 8 and 9 day embryos produced in vitro were frozen using 1.8M EG+0.1M sucrose, 1.8M EG+0.5% BSA and 1.5M EG+0.1M sucrose media. Survivability was confirmed after frozen-thawed 24 and 48h and ICM, TE cell number were counted by Hoechst 33342 and PI staining after frozen-thawed 24h. As a result, 1.8M EG+0.1M sucrose group was most significantly (p<0.05) higher compared with the other treatment groups on survivability, TE and total cell number after frozen-thawed 24h (, and ). ICM number did not found significant (p<0.05) differences between the three treatment groups. in 6, 7, 8 and 9 day of embryos using three types of freezing media, frozen-thawed, 1.8M EG+0.1M sucrose groups with embryos cultured 8 day was significantly (p<0.05) highest survivability to after frozen-thawed 24h. 1.5M EG+0.1 sucrose group with embryos cultured 9 day was significantly higher survivability than group of embryos cultured 8 day after frozen-thawed 24 and 48h. In conclusion, 1.8M EG+0.1M sucrose media is considered to be effective to cryopreservation of embryos cultured 8 and 9 day.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of IFN- on prostaglandin synthesis, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression in vitro and concentration of progesterone (P4) in endometrial cells. Epithelial and stromal cells cultured in vitro were isolated from bovine endometrium and stimulated with increasing doses of IFN- (0, 0.02, 0.2 and 2 ug/ml). Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, 1.5 IU/ml) was used as a positive control. Prostaglandin and levels in the culture media were analyzed by enzyme immunoassays and total RNA was extracted from the cells for RT-PCR. P4 concentrations of blood samples were assayed by chemiluminescent immuno assays system. In epithelial cells, COX-2 gene expression was increased in the presence of IFN- (p<0.05), but it was not significantly different in all groups of stromal cells except for 2 ug/ml IFN- group (p<0.05). Although IFN- did not affect and production in epithelial cells, it decreased and production significantly in stromal cells (p<0.05). In vivo experiment, blood concentration of P4 was significantly increased after addition of IFN- (1 ug/ml). The results indicate that PG production was mediated by COX-2 expression in stromal cells but it was not affected in epithelial cells and this suggest that treatment of IFN- could improve the implantation environment of uterine by maintenance of high P4 concentration.

This study evaluated a method of sorting X and Y chromosomes based on size using the forward angle light scatter related refractive index (FSC) of a flow cytometer. Hanwoo bulls sperm were separated to X and Y chromosomes by the parameters of FSC or Hoechst 33342 intensity. As a result, using monitor program linked flow cytometry during sorting processing, the purities were or for the X-fraction and or for the Y-fraction in the two sperm sorting methods. There were no differences in the X and Y ratios (X and Y %) between the sperm sorting methods based on FSC or DNA content. The proportions of female and male embryos used for in vitro fertilization and development were or , and or when sperm were processed using the sex sorting method by FSC or Hoechst 33342. In conclusion, further study is needed to determine the optimum procedure and improve the nozzle to enhancing sorting accuracy or efficiency. Also, the findings of this study do not negate the possibility that the difference method of sperm sorting cannot use a UV laser beam.

This study was to evaluate the protein profile of seminal plasma using 2-DE in Hanwoo. Seminal plasma was harvested from five mature Hanwoo, and seminal plasma protein was extracted by M-PER Mammalian Protein Extraction Reagent. Proteins were refined by clean-up kit and quantified by Bradford method until total protein was . Immobilized pH gradient (IPG) strip was used 18 cm and 3~11 NL. SDS-PAGE was used 12% acrylamide gel. Each gels were visualized by comassie brilliant blue and silver staining. These spots were analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS and searched on NCBInr. The result, 20 proteins of 36 protein spots were searched through peptide sequencing on the NCBInr. 8 proteins profiled by 2-DE were proved through previous bovine studies and the name of each protein was albumin, nucleobindin, clusterin, TIMP-2, spermadhesin Z13, spermadhesin-1 and BSP proteins (BSP 30 kDa and BSP A1/A2). 12 new proteins were ATP synthase, protein MAK16 homolog, Transmembrane protein 214, E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase BRE1A, dual serine/threonine and tyrosine protein kinase, tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2, alpha-actinin-4, RUN domain-containing protein 3B, catenin alpha-1, protein-glutamine gamma-glutamyltransferase 2, plakophilin-1 and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H1 has not been previously described in the bovine seminal plasma study. These proteins may be contribute to define the type of proteins affecting fertility of male and improve the fertilizing ability of semen in Hanwoo.