We investigate the effect of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor treatment during parthenogenetic activation of oocytes on the ER stress generation, apoptosis, and in vitro development of parthenogenetic porcine embryos. Porcine in vitro matured oocytes were activated by 1) electric stimulus (E) or 2) E+10 μM Ca-ionophore (A23187) treatment (EC). Oocytes were then treated by ER stress inhibitors such as salubrinal (200 nM) and tauroursodeoxychloic acid (TUDCA, 100 μM) for 3 h prior to in vitro culture. Parthenogenetic embryos were sampled to analyze ER stress and apoptosis at the 1-cell and blastocyst stages. The x-box binding protein 1 (Xbp1) mRNA and ER stress-associated genes were analyzed by RT-PCR or RT-qPCR. Apoptotic gene expression was analyzed by RT-PCR. At the 1-cell stage, although no difference was observed in Xbp1 splicing among treatments, BiP transcription level in the E group was significantly reduced by salubrinal treatment, and GRP94 and ATF4 transcription levels in EC group were significantly reduced by all treatments (p<0.05) compared to control. In the EC group, both apoptotic genes were reduced by ER stress inhibitor treatments compared to control (p<0.05) except Caspase-3 gene by TUDCA treatment. These results suggest that the treatment of ER stress inhibitor during parthenogenetic activation can reduce ER stress, and thereby reduce apoptosis and promote in vitro development of porcine parthenogenetic embryos.

To overcome the risk of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in patients have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and to prepare emergency fertility preservation in patients undergoing anticancer treatment, several researchers have reported IVM of oocytes retrieved from ovaries exposed by only hCG priming. However, the maturation rate and the developmental potential of embryos from IVM oocytes are significantly lower than those of oocytes matured in vivo. Here, we investigated the optimal time point for immature oocyte collection at post hCG only injection for in vitro maturation, in vitro fertilization and blastocyst formation. Immature GV oocytes were collected from 25 days old B6D2F1 female mouse at 12 hr, 14 hr, 16 hr or 24 hr post hCG injection. Oocytes were collected from antral or late secondary follicle by puncturing with 26 G needle. Collected oocytes were cultured in G2 medium with 10% FBS, FSH, estradiol, and hCG for 16 hr in vitro and subjected in vitro fertilization and further embryonic development. To examine follicular maturation, we estimated the numbers of primordial, primary, secondary follicle and antral follicle on ovaries of each time point post hCG. To confirm the optimal time point post hCG injection for collecting immature oocytes, we recovered the oocytes from each time point. There is no difference in the number of oocytes per mice. Oocytes collected at 14 hr post hCG injection were shown higher maturation rate to MII stage and blastocyst formation compare to other three groups (p<0.01). However, there is no difference in the maturation rate on the other three groups. Also, apoptotic signal with TUNEL assay or anti-PARP staining was not change in ovaries from all experimental groups. Granulosa cell proliferation test with anti Ki-67 or anti AMH was not show any difference. According to these results, there are no significant differences in four different time points at 12 hr, 14 hr, 16 hr or 24 hr of collection of immature oocytes in hCG primed mouse. However, oocytes from 14 hr post hCG injection showed higher percentages of maturation rate, in vitro fertilization rate, blastocyst formation.

Adaptive development of early stage embryo is well established and recently it is explored that the mammalian embryos also have adaptive ability to the stressful environment. However, the mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, to evaluate the possible role of aquaporin in early embryo developmental adaptation, the expression of aquaporin (AQP) 5 gene which is detected during early development were examined by the environmental condition. To compare expression patterns between in vivo and in vitro, we conducted quantitative RT-PCR and analyzed localization of the AQP5 by whole mount immunofluorescence. At in vivo condition, Aqp5 expressed in oocyte and in all the stages of preimplantation embryo. It showed peak at 2-cell stage and decreased continuously until morula stage. At in vitro condition, Aqp5 expression pattern was similar with in vivo embryos. It expressed both at embryonic genome activation phase and second mid-preimplantation gene activation phase, but the fold changes were modified between in vivo embryos and in vitro embryos. During in vivo development, AQP5 was mainly localized in apical membrane of blastomeres of 4-cell and 8-cell stage embryos, and then it was localized in cytoplasm. However, the main localization area of AQP5 was dramatically shifted after 8-cell stage from cytoplasm to nucleus by in vitro development. Those results explore the modification of Aqp5 expression levels and location of its final products by in vitro culture. It suggests that expression of Aqp5 and the roles of AQP5 in homeostasis can be modulated by in vitro culture, and that early stage embryos can develop successfully by themselves adapting to their condition through modulation of the specific gene expression and localization.

In this study, oocyte steroidogenesis are investigated in relation to oocyte development in the starry flounder, Platichthys stellatus, a marine multiple spawner. Vitellogenic (0.52 and 0.55 mm oocyte diameter) and mature oocytes (0.63, 0.66 and 0.71 mm oocyte diameter) were incubated in vitro in the presence of [3H]17α-hydroxyprogesterone ([3H]17α- OHP) as a precursor. Steroid metabolites were extracted from the incubated media and oocytes, the extracts were separated and identified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS). The major metabolites produced from [3H]17α-OHP were androgens [androstenedione (A4) and testosterone (T)] and estrogens [17β-estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1)] and progestins [17α,20α-dihydroxy-4-pregnen- 3-one (17α20αP) and 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17α20βP)] in vitellogenic and mature oocytes. The results from this study suggest the potential roles of E1 in the oocytes with diameter 0.52-0.71 mm, 17α20αP and 17α20βP at the oocytes of 0.63, 0.66 and 0.71 mm.

본 연구는 내분비 장애물질의 검출을 위하여 간세포의 단층 형성, 생존 및 기능에 미치는 어류 혈청의 영향에 대해 검토하였다. 한국산 메기의 간세포는 자신의 혈청 및 뱀장어, 틸라피아 등 타어종의 혈청에 의해 부착 및 단층이 형성되었으나, FBS는 메기 간세포의 단층을 형성시키지 못했다. 0.5에서 3%의 어류 혈청으로 메기 간세포의 단층을 형성 시킬 수 있는데, 이것은 FBS(5~20%) 사용의 1/10 이하로 적은 양이며, 어류 혈청이 FBS를 대체할

옻나무 묘목대량증식법의 하나로 조직배양 방법을 이용하여 기내 유식물체를 다량으로 증식함으로써 옻나무 증식의 효율성을 높이기 위하여 기내 무균묘를 얻고자 실시하였다. 비중 1.0으로 선종한 결과 1차선종은 평균 50.7%의 선종율을 보였고, 98% sulfuric acid에 2시간 교반 후 2차로 선종한 결과 선종율은 20.8%였다. 발근율은 외종피를 함유한 종자(5.4%) 보다는 외종피를 제거하거나(18.3%) 내종피를 제거한 종자(32.4%)가 높았다. 전처리에 따른 종자의 발아율은 생장조절물질 처리에 의한 효과가 인정되지 않았으며, 각 처리별 유의수준도 인정되지 않았으나 sulfuric acid를 처리했을 경우 발아율이 3%로써 생장조절물질 처리보다는 약간 효과적인 것으로 나타났다. 외종피를 제거하면 발아율은 약간 높게 나타났는데, 생장조절물질을 첨가함으로써 약 4%정도 향상되었다. 특히 BA 1.0mg/L와 NAA 0.05mg/L의 혼용처리와 BA 1.0mg/L 단독처리가 10% 내외의 발아율을 보였다. 옻나무 종자는 배지에 치상한 후 약 10일 만에 정상적으로 발아하였고, 치상 후 약 3주만에 본엽이 출현한 정상적인 무균묘를 획득할 수 있었으나 발아율이 10%내외에 불과하여 매우 저조하였다.