The study aims to assess the embryo development and survivability of bovine embryos cultured in vitro by addition of cysteine. The rates of metaphase II formation are not significantly different among the three groups(73.8% for TCM199, 76.9% for TCM199 with 0.3mM cysteine and 83.8% for TCM199 with 0.5mM cysteine). No differences on cleavage rate(70.6~74.6%) was observed among three culture medium(70.6% for TCM199, 71.3% for CR1aa, and 74.6% for SOF) with 0.5mM cysteine. However, significantly(P<0.05) higher development rate was obtained in the blastocyst stage by adding 0.5mM cysteine in SOF medium(35.6%) than in TCM199(27.6%) or CR1aa(26.6%). No significant differences in the cleavage rates were observed among the three culture. After freezing the blastocysts cultured with 0.5M cysteine, the re-expansion rates ranged from 61.3% to 86.4% among groups, and hatching rates are from 26.3% to 46.9% among groups. The rates of re-expansion and hatching are significantly(P<0.05) higher in SOF medium(86.4% and 46.9%, respectively) than those in TCM199(61.3% and 26.3%) and CR1aa medium(87.1 and 44.4%). After thawing, the blastocyst re-expansion rate become significantly(P<0.05) higher in in vivo (87.1%) and in vitro (70.3%) embryos. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that supplementation of IVM and IVC media with 0.5mM cysteine improved the quality of in vitro production of embryo and post-thawed embryo. Future studies comparing these culture systems in well-designed trials should be performed.

Nicotine, a major toxic component in tobacco smoke, leads to severe embryonic damages on organogenesis. We investigated if resveratrol can inhibit the nicotine–induced teratogenesis in the cultured mouse embryos (embryonic day 8.5) for 48 hours using a whole embryo culture system. The embryos exposed to nicotine (1 μM) revealed severe morphological anomalies, the increased levels of caspase-3 mRNA and lipid peroxidation, and further the lowered levels of mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD), cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (GPx), phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, and sirtuin mRNAs and SOD activity significantly compared to normal control group (p<0.05). However, whenre sveratrol(1×10‒5 μMor1 ×10‒4 μM) was added concurrently to the embryos exposed to nicotine, these all parameters were significantly improved (p<0.05).These findings indicate that resveratrol has a protective effect against nicotine-induced teratogenesis in mouse embryos throughout antioxidative and anti-apoptotic activities.

Several cloned animals have been produced using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and have interested in producing the transgenic cloned animals to date. But still its efficiency was low due to a number of reasons, such as sub-optimal culture condition, aberrant gene expression and nuclear reprogramming. The purpose of this study was to analyze gene expression pattern in in vitro fertilized (IVF) or SCNT pre-implantation embryos. IVF- or SCNT-embryos were cultured in media supplemented with different proteins (FBS and BSA) or energy sources (glucose or fructose). Blastocysts from IVF or SCNT were analyzed using semi-quantitative RT-PCR in terms of developmentor metabolic-related genes. Culture medium supplemented different proteins or energy sources had affected on the expression of developmental or metabolic genes in the SCNT blastocysts.

Maternal hypoxia induced by a variety of exogenous oxidative stresses such as ethanol intake, diabetes, and cigarette during pregnancy provokes the impaired embryonic gene expression and developmental malformations. We investigated the gene expression patterns of the representative selenium containing antioxidant enzymes (selenoproteins) such as cytosolic GPx (cGPx), gestrointestinal GPx (GI-GPx), plasma GPx (pGPx), phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx (PHGPx), and selenoprotein P (SePP) in the cultured mouse embryos under normal or hypoxic (low oxygen state, 5% O₂) condition at embryonic day 8.5 for 2 days using real-time PCR analysis. cGPx, pGPx, and SePP mRNAs were significantly decreased, but GI-GPx and PHGPx mRNAs were remarkably increased in the hypoxic state compared to normal gassing state (p<0.05). These findings indicate that hypoxic condition leads to the unusual expressions of selenoproteins during mouse organogenesis.

In previous studies, we reported that sow which was transferred OPS-freezing embryos not able to deliver a piglet (Kim et al, 2004). This study was conducted to investigate a possibility of gilt as recipients which produce piglets after transfer of OPS-freezing embryos. All transferred embryos were prepared by in vitro production (IVP) system. In vitro culture (IVC) medium used glucose-free NCSU23 supplemented with 5mM sodium pyruvate, 0.5 mM sodium lactate and 4 mg/ml bovine serum albumin for 2 days at . From day 3 of IVC, 10% fetal bovine serum albumin was added to the culture medium. In preparing of freezing embryos, embryos were treated with 7.5 cytochalasin-B for 30 min and centrifuged at for 13 min. And then, embryos were exposed sequentially to an ethylene glycol (EG) solution, aspirated into open pulled straw (OPS), and plunged or thawed into the liquid nitrogen. In embryo transfer (ET), we used two kinds of type (surgical method vs. non-surgical method). In surgical method of embryo transfer, embryo were transferred in both uterine horn of two recipient gilts by plastic straw. Non-surgical method which is like artificial insemination was performed on three gilts. Each 140 frozen embryos were transferred to two gilts and 40 fresh embryos to one gilt. Pregnancy establishment was shown one recipient at 45 days after ET. However, the one recipient was also aborted at 58 days after ET. These results suggest that gilts can be considered as a candidate of recipients for OPS-freezing embryo transfer.

본 연구는 한우 체외 수정란의 성 감별과 신선란, 동결란 및 성 감별 수정란을 이식한 후 수태율, 분만율과 유산율, 생시 체중, 임신 기간을 조사하기 위하여 수행하였다 Aspiration과 punching법으로 biopsied한 수정을 24시간 배양 후 생존율은 각각 80.0%와 90.0%로 유의적인(p>0.05) 차이는 없었다. 수정란을 성 감별한 결과, 웅성 수정란과 자성 수정란의 비율은 각각 42.1%와 52.6%였으며, 5.3%는 수정란의 성을

This study was carried out to examine on developmental competence of Hanwoo embryos cultured in vitro according to culture conditions and freezing methods. The in vitro developmental competence to blastocyst stage at Day 8 of culture in SOF was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that in CR1aa (30.3% vs. 18.4%). The in vitro developmental rate of morula and blastocysts cultured in group culture was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that in individual culture (41.4% and 36.0% vs. 21.1% and 10.5%, respectively). The cell number of Day 8 blastocysts in group culture was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that in the individual culture (, respectively). The survival rates of frozen-thawed balstocysts that were exposed in 1.5 M ethylene glycol or 1.5 M ethylene glycol containing 0.1 M sucrose were 77.5% and 78.7%, respectively. The survival rates of blastocysts cultured for 48 h in slow freezing and vitrification was not significantly different (73.3 and 74.0%). In conclusion, in vitro developmental competence of bovine embryos was influenced on the culture medium (SOF) and culture method (Group culture). Survival rate of frozen-thawed of bovine embryos was not influenced on freezing solutions and freezing methods.

The purpose of this study was to determine effects of oxytocin and interleukin-1α on in vitro development of bovine embryo cultured with endometrial epithelial and stromal cells isolated from bovine uterus. The expressions of COX-2 mRNA in bovine endometrium were also studied. When embryos were cultured with epithelial cells, the rate of blastocysts was significantly (p<0.05) higher in embryos treated with oxytocin than that of control group. The rate of hatched blastocysts was also significantly (p<0.05) higher in embryos treated with oxytocin than those of two control groups. On the other hand, when the embryos were cultured with stromal cells, the rate of blastocysts were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of groups treated with IL-1α, oxytocin and control with stromal cells than that of control group without stromal cells. The rate of blastocysts hatched were also significantly (p<0.05) higher in group treated with IL-1α than those of control group without stromal cells and oxytocin group. In another experiment, COX-2 gene was expressed in embryo group treated with oxytocin during the co-culture of embryos with epithelial cells. In contrast, COX-2 mRNA was expressed in group treated with IL-1α when the embryos were cultured with stromal cell. This result shows that oxytocin and IL-1α were stimulate embryo development in vitro when embryos were cultured with epithelial and stromal cells, and can affect the development of bovine embryos in the uterus.

본 연구는 활성화처리 방법 및 배양 조건이 돼지 단위발생란의 체외발달 및 apoptosis에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위해 실시되었다. 도축장 유래 난소로부터 채취된 미성숙 난자를 42~44시간 동안 성숙배양한 후 사용하였다. Apoptosis는 TUNEL 방법을 사용하여 조사하였다. 실험 1에서는 성숙배양된 난자들을 electric pulse(1.2 kV/cm for 30μsec 2회, E), E + 6-dimethylaminopurine(6-DMAP) 또는 E + cycloheximide(CH) 방법으로 활성화 처리하여 PZM-3를 이용하여 5% CO2, 38.5℃에서 배양하였다. 실험 2에서는 전기자극을 이용하여 활성화처리된 난자들을 각각 PZM-3 또는 NCSU-23 배양액 내에서 배양하였다. 각 배양액 내의 난자들은 각각 20% O2 조건으로 나뉘어 배양하였다. E + 6-DMAP(36.5%) 또는 E + CH 구(32.5%)에서 E 구(27.7%)보다 유의적으로 높은 배반포 형성율을 보였다(P<0.05). 처리별 apoptosis 발생율은 각각 5.3%(E), 7.7%(6-DMAP) 및 7.1%(CH)였다. 실험 2에서는 PZM-3 구의 배반포 형성율이 NCSU-23 구에 비하여 산소분압조건과 관계없이 다소 높았다(28.2{sim}29.7% vs. 22.6~24.4%). PZM-3 및 20% O2 조건하에서 유의적으로 낮은 apoptosis 발생 비율을 나타냈다(9.2%, P<0.05). 그러므로 돼지 단위발생란을 chemical agent를 이용한 추가 활성화처리 후 PZM-3, 20% O2, 조건으로 배양하면 더 나은 배반포 발생율을 얻을 수 있다고 생각된다.

Mucin coat is deposited on the embryos during passage through the oviduct in rabbit. When in vitro cultured blastocysts were transferred to the recipients, the lack of mucin coat might account in part for failure of pregnancy after transfer. The present study were carried out to investigate whether deposition of mucin coat were induced when in vitro cultured blastocysts were transferred to recipients. At 19 ～20 hours post-coitus one-cell embryos were collected by flushing oviducts. These embryos cultured for 72 hours were reached to blastocyst stage. And these blastocysts were transferred to the oviduct of asynchronized (one day later than the donors) and synchronized recipient. To confirm deposition of the mucin coat, blastocysts transferred to the oviduct were recovered at 24 and 48 hours after the transfer. Fifty eight percent of blastocysts recovered from uterus of asynchronous recipient at 24 hours after transfer and 92.9% of blastocysts recovered from uterus of synchronous recipient were 0～10 ㎛ of mucin coat thickness. And 11.8% of blastocysts of asynchronized recipients and 7.1% of blastocysts from asynchronized recipients were in 11～20 ㎛ of mucin coat thickness. When blastocysts were recovered from uterus at 48 hours after transfer, 87.0% of blastocysts from asynchronized recipients and 5.9% of blastocyst from synchronized recipients were in 0～10 ㎛ of mucin coat thickness. And 76.5% of blastocysts of synchronized recipients and 4.4% of blastocysts from asynchronized recipients were in 11～20 ㎛ of mucin coat thickness. From these results it is speculated that the low implantation rate of in vitro cultured rabbit blastocysts transferred to oviduct of recipient was caused by high degeneration of the embryo after transfer and inappropriate deposition of mucin coat.

본 연구는 도축돈의 난소로부터 난자를 채취하여 체외배양시킨 후 세포 안정제와 원심분리 그리고 OPS를 이용한 유리화동결 하였다. 동결 융해한 수정란을 경산돈에 외과적 또는 비외과적으로 이식하여 자돈을 생산하는 것을 목적으로 수행하였다. 도축돈 난소로부터 채란되어진 돼지 미성숙난은 Funahashi 등(1994) 방법에 따라 체외 성숙-수정-배양하였다. 체외배양액은 glucose-free NCSU 23을 이용하였으며, 5일째에 10% Fatal bovin

난자의 체외성숙 및 체외배양에는 일반적으로 동물의 혈청을 사용하고 있다. 그러나, 채취한 소의 상태에 따라서 혈청의 질에 차이가 있어 실험데이터가 일정하지 않을 수 있고, 그것으로부터 바이러스, 세균, 마이코플라즈마 등에 오염될 가능성이 있다. 따라서, 본 실험에서는 완전 무 혈청 배양액에서 난자의 성숙, 배 발생율, 세포 수, 동결성을 검토하였다. 다음으로, 근래 혈청배지로 생산한 체외 배양 수정란은 과체중의 산자 생산, 초기 산자 사망률, caesa

The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of bovine nuclear transfer (NT) embryos cultured in serum-free conditions. Bovine NT embryos cultured in various culture conditions were compared blastocyst development, total cell number and apoptosis using TUNEL assay. In experiment 1, blastocyst rates of NT embryos were significantly higher (P<0.01) in FBS (22.0％) and BSA (26.6％) groups than in PVA (6.3％) group. Total cell number was significantly higher in FBS (78.4±19.4) and BSA (90.9±29.1) groups than in PVA group (46.0±0.0). Apoptotic cell number was significantly fewer in FBS (3.1±1.4) and BSA (1.7±1.4) groups than in PVA group (7.0±20.0) However, all of results were not different between the FBS and BSA group. In experiment 2, blastocyst rates of NT embryos were significantly higher (P<0.05) in fatty acid free-BSA (FAF-BSA) group (26.8％) than in fraction V-BSA group (11.2％). Total cell number were somewhat higher in FAF-BSA group (89.8±30.7) than in fraction V-BSA group (88.1±19.3). Apoptotic cell number were somewhat fewer in FAF-BSA (1.7±1.5) group than in fraction V-BSA group (4.2±2.9). These findings suggest that serum free condition were effective for the in vitro development of bovine NT embryos. Therefore, we concluded that fatty acid free-BSA has beneficial effect in development bovine NT embryos and can be use as a serum substitute.