Chronic and unpredictable stress can disrupt the female reproductive system by suppression for secretion of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gonadotrophin, resulted in ovarian malfunction and infertility. In the recent days, kisspeptin has been highly highlighted as a hypothalamic peptide which directly stimulates synthesis and release for GnRH. However, in spite of the key role of kisspeptin in the female reproductive system, little information is still available on the changes of its expression during ovarian cycle under stressed condition. Therefore, we induced chronic and unpredictable stress series to the female mice to analyze kisspeptin expression in the brain and ovary. Stressed mice exhibited changes of behavior and body weight gain during the stress assessment, which suggested that the present stress model in mice was successfully established. In the brain level, kisspeptin expression was attenuated than control. In the ovary level, the stressed mice displayed irregularly shrunk oocytes with broken zona pellucida throughout the follicle stages, pyknotic granulosa cells, decreased number of developing follicles and increased number of atretic follicles than the control. In case of kisspeptin expression in the whole ovary tissue, the expression level was decreased in the stressed mice. In detail, the less intensity of kisspeptin expression in the antral follicles phase was observed in the stressed mice than control mice, indicating that local function of kisspeptin during ovary cycle is highly associated with development of ovarian follicles. We expect that the present study has important implications for the fields of reproductive biology.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the elaborate characteristics of ovarian changes including follicles and corpus luteum, and hormonal patterns of gonadotropin surge mode secretions during the normal consecutive estrous cycle in three dairy cows. Non-lactating and multiparous Holstein cows (n=3) used as experimental animals. The cows were assigned to examine the relationship among ovarian changes (follicle, corpus luteum), ovarian steroids (estradiol, progesterone) and gonadotropin (LH, FSH) surge mode secretion during the successive estrous cycles by rectal palpation, ultrasonography and hormonal assay. The mean length of the estrous cycle for the three cows was 23.1 ± 1.44 days (± SEM), with a range of 20-28 days. In six estrous cycles, the number of two follicular waves, three follicular waves and four follicular waves was 2, 3 and 1, respectively. The sequential ultrasonographic monitoring showed that the corpus luteum with ≥ 10 mm in diameter detected from Day 2 (Day 0 is ovulation) in six estrous cycles of all cows. Preovulatory increases in estradiol concentration reached 10.36 ± 1.10 pg/ml on the 2 days before ovulation of the last dominant follicle. All cows exhibited a preovulatory rise in estradiol concentration followed by a typical preovulatory LH and FSH surge. The mean interval from the peak of LH/FSH surge to ovulation of the last dominant follicle was 31.3 ± 1.76 h (± SEM). In these results, each dairy cow showed that ovarian morphological changes and gonadotropin surge mode secretion will be regulated by various environmental factors including age, breeds, nutrition, breeding conditions, etc.

In order to determine the ovarian cycle of Asian Toad, Bufo gargarizans, the developmental stage based on the gonadosomatic index (GSI), size of follicle oocytes in ovary and vitellogenesis for adult females were investigated all around the year. The weight of ovary and GSI were the lowest from April, and all follicle oocytes exist in the pre-vitellogenic form, indicating that the vitellogenesis was suspended. The follicle oocytes in early-vitellogenic stage appeared in ovary during may when the weight of ovary and GSI start to increased, and the follicle oocytes in midvitellogenic and pre-vitellogenic stages existed during June and the weight of ovary and GSI also increased. This indicates that vitellogenesis has been carried out actively during this period. The follicle oocytes in mid-vitellogenic stage and late-vitellogenic stage when the vitellogenesis was also completed existed on September. Post-vitellogenic follicle oocytes after vitellogenesis started to appear from October and rapidly increased from December in hibernation. The full grown follicle oocytes existed during February, indicating the ovarian cycle that all follicle oocytes in ovary are developed separately, not synchronized, during the growing period of follicle oocytes and the postvitellogenic follicle oocytes are maintained the ovulation period.

한국산개구리(Rana coreana)의 난소주기를 파악하기 위해 암컷 성체를 대상으로 gonadosomatic index(GSI)와 난소 내 여포난자의 크기와 난황축적 정도를 기준으로 발달과정을 연중 조사하였다. 난소무게와 GSI는 3월부터 5월까지 가장 낮게 나타났으며 모든 여포난자들은 난황축적 전단계의 상태로 존재하여 난황형성이 중단된 것으로 판단된다. 난소무게와 GSI가 증가하기 시작한 6월의 난소에서는 난황축적 전기단계의 여포난자가 출현하였고 8월에는 난황축적 중기단계와 난황축적 전단계의 여포난자가 존재하여 난소무게와 GSI도 증가하여 나타났다. 이러한 현상은 이 시기에 난황축적 현상이 활발하게 진행되는 것을 의미하며 난소무게와 GSI가 높게 나타난 9월에서 11월까지는 난황축적 중기단계의 여포난자들과 난황축적이 거의 완성된 난황축적 후기단계의 여포난자들이 존재하였다. 동면중인 12월부터 난황축적을 마치고 성장이 완료된 여포난자들이 출현하였으며 2월의 난소에서는 성장이 완료된 여포난자가 전체적으로 존재하여 여포난자의 성장기에는 난소내의 모든 여포난자들이 동시적(synchronized)으로 진행되지 않고 각각의 여포난자에 따라 진행되다가 배란시기에 성장이 완료된 상태를 유지하는 난소주기를 나타내었다.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of protein patterns in granulosa cells and corpus luteum in ovaries during the estrus cycle in cows. The estrus cycle was devided into five steps of follicular, ovulatory, early-luteal, mid-luteal and late-luteal phases. In results, 61 spots of total 85 spots were repeated on follicular phase and 51 spots of total 114 spots were repeated on ovulatory phase. The 40 spots of total 129 spots were repeated on early-luteal phase and 49 spots of total 104 spots were repeated on mid-luteal phase. Also 41 spots of total 60 spots were repeated on late-luteal phase. On the other hands, the 16 spots were indicated difference in follicular phase and ovulation phase had a difference 10 spots. It was showed difference No. 103 spot in ovulation phase, No. 135 spot in early-luteal phase and No. 175 and 176 spots in mid-luteal phase. Also, the 11 spots were expressed specifically in mid-luteal phase and No. 178 and 179 spots were difference of expression in late-luteal phase. We confirmed that there were 7 spots for ovulation, 4 spots for luteinization and 2 spots for luteolysis. Spot No. 89～93 in ovulation phase were transferrin, and spot No.94～98 were HSP60. Spot No. 103 was Dusty PK, spot No. 135 was OGDC- E2, and spot No. 175 and 176 were Rab GDI beta from luteinization. Spot No. 178 and 179 in luteolysis were vimentin. This results suggest that will be help to basic data about infertility.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of protein patterns in granulosa cells and corpus luteum during the estrus cycle in bovine ovary by proteomics ^techniques. Our study was devided into five steps for follicular, ovulatory, early-lteal, midluteal and late-luteal. The protein was extracted from glanulosa cell and corpus luteum proteins by using M-PER Mammalian Protein Extraction Reagent. Proteins were refined by clean-up kit and quantified by Bradford method until total protein was 700 μg. Immobilized pH gradient (IPG) strip was used 18 cm and 3 11 NL. SDS-PAGE was used 10% acrylamide gel. The protein spots were visualized by Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) staining, analyzed by MALDI mass spectrometry and searched on NCIBlnr. As the result, 61 spots of total 85 spots were repeated on follicular stage and 51 spots of total 114 spots were repeated on ovulatory stage. 40 spots of total 129 were repeated on early-luteal and 49 spots of total 104 spots were repeated on mid-luteal stage. Also 41 spots of total 60 spots were repeated on last-luteal stage. There were differences in the ovulation (follicular∼ovultory stage) in which the spots of follicular stage 19 was only and in ovulation stage was 10 spots. The difference between the luteinization (ovultory∼mid-luteal stage) was the spots counted in each stage. The spots of ovulatory stage was 1, early-luteal stage was 1 and in mid-luteal stage was 2. Eleven spots were found in mid-luteal stage and 2 spots were found in last-luteal stage. In conclusion, we confirmed that there were 7 spots in ovulation, 4 spots in luteinization and 2 spots in luteolysis. Spot No. 89-93 from ovulation were transferrin, and spot No.94 and 95 were HSP60. Spot No. 103 were Dusty PK, spot No. 135 were OGDC-E2, and spot No. 175, 176 were Rab GDI beta from luteinization. Spot No. 178 and 179 from luteolysis were vimentin.

본 연구는 젖소의 분만 후 난소 주기 재개의 이상이 번식 성적에 미치는 영향을 구명하기 위해 수행하였다. 정상적인 난소 주기가 진행이 되면 배란된 날에 난소 주기가 재개된 것으로 간주하였다. 공시우의 58.8%(114/194)가 정상적인 난소 주기의 재개를 하였고 41.2%의 소에서 난소 주기의 재개가 지연되었다. 배란 후 황체기가 20일 이상 유지되는 난소 주기의 재개지연 Ⅰ형(17.5%)과 분만 후 40일 이전에 첫 배란이 나타나지 않는 난소 주기의 재개지연 Ⅱ형(22.7%)이 난소 주기 재개 지연의 일반적인 형태였다. 정상적인 난소 주기를 가진 개체와 비교해 보면, 황체기가 연장된 소들의 분만 후 100일 이내의 인공수정 공시율, 수태율과 임신율은 더 낮고(각각 84.2 대 40.0%; p<0.01, 24.0 대 21.4%, 20.2 대 11.1%) 분만 후 첫 수정 일수와 공태 일수가 더 길다(각각 64.7±2.79 대 105.7±7.48일; p<0.01, 105.1±7.16 대 133.7±11.17일). 정상우와 무배란우를 비교해 보면, 100일 이내의 수태율과 임신율이 낮고(각각 24.0 대 20.0%, 20.2 대 16.3%) 분만 후 첫 수정 일수과 공태 일수가 더 길다(각각 64.7±2.79 대 72.6±4.45일, 105.1±7.16 대 120.8±12.33일). 결론적으로 젖소의 분만 후 비정상적인 난소 주기는 인공수정 공시율, 임신율, 첫 수정 일수와 공태 기간을 포함하는 번식 성적의 저하를 유발시킨다.

The ovarian cycle, the biological minimum size, and artificial spawning frequency by artificial spawning induction of the female hard clam, Meretrix petechialis, were investigated by histological observations and morphometric data. The ovarian cycle of this species can be classified into five successive stages: early active stage, late active stage, ripe stage, partially spawned stage, and spent/inactive stage. The spawning period was from June to September, and the main spawning occurred between July and August when the seawater temperature exceeds over . The biological minimum size (shell length at 50% of first sexual maturity) in females were 40.39 mm in shell length (considered to be two years of age), and all clams over 50.1 mm in shell length sexually matured. In this study, the mean number of the spawned eggs by spawning induction increased with the increase of size (shell length) classes. In case of artificial spawning induction for the clams > 40.39 mm, the number of spawned eggs from the clams of a sized class was gradually decreased with the increase of the number of the spawning frequencies (the first, second, and third spawning). In the experiments of artificial spawning induction during the spawning season, the interval of each spawning of this species was estimated to be 15-18 days (approximately 17 days).