Background: Research on the reproductive physiology of Water and Sika deer, an endemic in Korea, still needs to be completed. This study analyzed the ovarian development and morphological characteristics of wild Water deer and Sika deer. Methods: Water deer and Sika deer ovaries were collected from the Korean Peninsula and Russia–Korean Peninsula border during the estrus and pregnancy seasons, respectively. And, morphological and physiological analysis and immunohistochemistry were conducted to confirm the detection of Ca2+ and assess the morphological changes in the ovaries. Results: The results of morphological analysis of ovaries during pregnancy and estrus, the development of the corpus luteum and follicles of Water deer showed similar patterns to other mammals. In contrast, the corpus luteum of Sika deer differed in tissue morphology and composition from Water deer. Ca2+ related to tissue metabolism was detected in the theca cells zone of Water deer on the estrus and was highly detected in the luteum cells zone during pregnancy. The hormone receptor protein expression patterns were generally higher in the ovaries of Water deer on the estrus and the pregnancy than in Sika deer. The expression of LH receptor was relatively low in the lutein cell zone, unlikely that of Water deer. The expression of VEGF was also different from Water deer, and the response in Sika deer was relatively very low compared to Water deer in expressing all proteins-related development. Conclusions: Therefore, the results of the study were shown that the composition of the corpus luteum of Sika deer is not clear compared to Water deer, and there are many differences in the functional and morphological formation of the corpus luteum.

The ovary undergoes substantial physiological changes along with estrus phase to mediate negative/positive feedback to the upstream reproductive tissues and to play a role in producing a fertilizable oocyte in the developing follicles. However, the disorder of estrus cycle in female can lead to diseases, such as cystic ovary which is directly associated with decline of overall reproductive performance. In gene expression studies of ovaries, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay has been widely applied. During this assay, although normalization of target genes against reference genes (RGs) has been indispensably conducted, the expression of RGs is also variable in each experimental condition which can result in false conclusion. Because the understanding for stable RG in porcine ovaries was still limited, we attempted to assess the stability of RGs from the pool of ten commonly used RGs (18S, B2M, PPIA, RPL4, SDHA, ACTB, GAPDH, HPRT1, YWHAZ, and TBP) in the porcine ovaries under different estrus phase (follicular and luteal phase) and cystic condition, using stable RG-finding programs (geNorm, Normfinder, and BestKeeper). The significant (p < 0.01) differences in Ct values of RGs in the porcine ovaries under different conditions were identified. In assessing the stability of RGs, three programs comprehensively agreed that TBP and YWHAZ were suitable RGs to study porcine ovaries under different conditions but ACTB and GAPDH were inappropriate RGs in this experimental condition. We hope that these results contribute to plan the experiment design in the field of reproductive physiology in pigs as reference data.

During the ovary preservation in low temperature, the cumulus oocyte complexes(COCs) lose their developmental competences after in vitro fertilization. We used phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as a basic solutions of at various temperatures (25, 15 or 5 ℃) and supplemented them with 1mM glucose and 0.5mM glutamine as a source of carbohydrate metabolites. After recovery of COCs and in vitro fertilization, a significantly higher number of oocytes developed into blastocysts. The developmental competence of embryos that were originated from ovaries preserved at 15 ℃ was increased compared to those of 25 or 5 ℃. The maturation rate of oocytes was not differed between 24 and 36 h at 15 ℃ but showed lower than control group (71% versus 78%). In vitro-fertilized oocytes from ovaries stored at 25 ℃ for 24 h or at 5 ℃ for 24 h had a significantly decreased developmental potentials, but at 15 ℃ did not (27% versus 29% of blastocysts to develop into day 8). With these results, bovine ovaries can be preserved at 15 ℃ for 36 h without decreasing developmental capacity of in vitro-fertilized oocyte at least to the blastocyst stage. This information provides valuable information of preserving ovaries for embryo transfer or in vitro embryo production.

Cryopreservation affects osmotic tolerance and intracellular ion concentration through changes in expression levels of water and ion channels. Control of these changes is important for cell survival after cryopreservation. Relatively little is known about changes in K+ channel expression compared to water channel expression. This study was performed to investigate changes in TASK-2 channel (KCNK5: potassium channel, subfamily K, member 5), a member of two-pore domain K+ channel family, in cryopreserved mouse ovaries. Cryopreservation increased TASK-2 mRNA expression in mouse ovaries. In addition, TASK-2 protein expression was upregulated in vitrified and slowly frozen ovaries. TASK-2 protein was expressed in all area of granulosa cells that surround the oocyte within the follicle, except nucleus. Viability of cells overexpressed with TASK-2 was higher than that of vector-transfected cells. Our results found that TASK-2 expression was increased by cryopreservation and overexpression of TASK-2 decreased cryopreservation-induced cell death. These results suggest that TASK-2 upregulation might reduce cryodamage.

We would like to report a case of leiomyoma of the ovaries in a dog. Leiomyoma is commonly seen in the vagina in dogs. However, it is a very rare neoplasm in the ovaries. As there have only been a few reported cases, this report provides valuable information on veterinary medicine and pathology. Masses found in the ovaries need to be differentiated from other ovarian tumors. Therefore, we describe the gross, histopathological, and immunohistochemical features of a case of ovarian leiomyoma in a 10-year-old female Yorkshire Terrier dog. The mass on the right of the uterus was found accidentally by pelvic ultrasonography. Laparatomy revealed a large multi-nodulated ovarian mass. Grossly, cut surfaces of the mass showed multiple firm whitish nodules in the cortex and bloody loose connective tissue in the medulla. Histopathologically, the cortex of the mass was composed of spindle cells forming interlacing fascicles. The cells had elongated, blunt-ended nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm as detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Immunohistochemical stained sections were immunoreactive for α-smooth muscle actin and desmin but negative for vimentin and S-100. Therefore, differential diagnosis confirmed leiomyoma based on morphology and positive staining for α-smooth muscle actin and desmin.

The purpose of this study was to assess follicular viability and competence through in vitro culture of preantral follicles isolated from vitrified mouse whole ovaries. Mouse preantral follicles were enzymatically isolated from vitrified-warmed and fresh ovaries and cultured for 10 days followed by in vitro oocyte maturation. In vitro matured oocytes were fertilized and cultured to the blastocyst stage. Five minutes pre-exposure to vitrification solution of whole ovaries had significantly higher (p<0.05) oocyte survival and maturation rates than between 10 min exposure groups. Oocyte diameter was significantly smaller (p<0.05) in the 5 and 10 min exposure groups (69.4±2.8 and 67.8±3.1) when compared to that of control group (71.7±2.1). There was no statistical significant difference in blastocyst development rates between vitrification group (8.6%) and the fresh control group (12.0%). The mean number of cells per blastocyst was significantly lower (p<0.05) in the vitrification group (41.9±20.2) than in the fresh control group (55.1±22.5). The results show that mouse oocytes within preantral follicles isolated from the vitrified whole ovaries can achieve full maturation, normal fertilization and embryo development.

We separately cultured follicular oocytes collected from individual ovaries of slaughtered Korean native cows and examined both the embryonic development rate and pregnancy rate after embryo transplantation according to the meat yield and quality grades of the source beef carcass. Oocytes from meat yield grade B cows exhibited a higher fertilization rate and embryonic developmental rate to the eight-cell stage than oocytes from grade A or C animals (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference in rate of development to the blastocyst stage among meat yield grades A, Band C. The oocyte cleavage rate and development rate to the eight-cell stage from meat quality grade 3 cattle was higher than grades 1++, 1+, 1 and 2 (p<0.05). Embryos derived from grade animals displayed a development rate to the blastocyst stage of 19.4%, which was also higher than all other meat quality grades (p<0.05). Transplantation of in vitro-cultured oocytes from meat yield grade A ovaries led to a higher pregnancy rate (64.2%) than in vitro-cultured oocytes from meat yield grade B ovaries (56.5%), but there was no significant difference between the two groups in pregnancy or abortion rates. In conclusion, embryonic development rate and pregnancy rate has a close relation to meat quality grades of the source beef carcass, this results is to give information for the Korean native cows improvement of breed.

본 연구는 도축된 제주마의 난소를 이용하여 초음파 유도난포란 채취 기술을 확립하고자 난소, 난포 및 황체의 크기를 초음파상과 육안적 측정치를 비교하고자 하였다. 초음파상 측정치와 caliper를 이용한 실제 크기의 측정치 비교에서는 통계학적 차이는 보이지 않았다. 배란 직전의 난포를 조사한 결과, 초음파상에서 관찰한 것은 난소 한 개 당 평균 0.83개와 평균 크기는 2.86 m였으며, 육안으로 관찰된 것은 난소 한 개 당 평균 0.75개와 평균 크기는

본 연구는 고급육을 생산한 한우의 유전자를 재활용하기 위해 기초 등록우와 혈통 등록우의 육질등급이 1 등급 이상인 암소의 난소에서 개체별로 채취한 난포란을 개체별로 각각 체외 성숙, 체외 수정 및 체외 배양하였다. 그 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 기초 등록우의 육질 등급별로 회수된 난포란은 각각 1 등급 평균 28.9개, 등급 평균 28.8개, 등급 29.6개로 평균 29.0개였다. 기초 등록우의 육질 등급별 배반포배 형성율은 각각 1 등급 27.2%

본 연구는 한우 수정란의 체외생산에 있어서 효율과 품질의 향상을 위해서, 미성숙 난포란을 회수하는 난소의 형태와 배양 용기로서 straw의 효과를 검토하였다. 난소의 형태에 따른 수정율은 전 군에서 70.3∼84.1%로서 비슷한 경향이었다. 8세포기 및 배반포기 발달율은 황체와 난포가 모두 존재하지 않는 대조군이 가장 높았다. 배반포의 inner cell mass(ICM), trophectoderm(TE), total cell number(TCN) 및 ICM/TCN 비율은 낭종군과 퇴행황체군이 다른군에 비하여 높은 경향이었다. 체외성숙에 이용하는 배양용기에 따른 수정율은 0.5 ㎖ straw 군이, 8세포기 발달율은 대조군이 가장 높았으나, 배반포기 발달율은 23.1∼30.7％로서 각 군 간에 비슷한 경향이었다. 한편 각각의 배양 용기에서 유래된 배반포의 ICM, TE, TCN 및 ICM/TCN 비율은 유사한 경향이었다.

본 연구는 개의 불임해결과 체외수정란을 생산할 목적으로 난소의 보존 및 난구세포의 부착 여부가 신선 및 동결 개 정자를 이용한 투명대 반응에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 1. 적출한 난소를 4 와 salt에 각각 48시간 보존 후 회수한 난구세포 부착 난자와 나화난자의 정자침입율은 각각 62.5%, 37.5% 및 42.5% 및 22.4%로서 난소를 적출 후 곧 바로 회수한 난구세포 부착 및 나화난자 내 정자침입율인 93.3%와 56.7%에 비해 현저히 낮

The study was carried out to investigate the effects of morphology, reproductive cycle, incubation time and activation of oocytes on in vitro maturation of cat oocytes and development of IVM/IVF embryos. The results were summarized as follows: 1. When recovered from ovaries collected at different stages of the reproductive cycle (inactive, follicular and luteal stage), the developmental rates of oocytes to GV and MI stage were 72.5% and 27.5%, 57.5% and 7.5%, 62.5% and 17.5%, respectively. 2. The developmental rates of oocytes with cumulus cells to GV and MI stage in different conditions of incubation (5% CO₂, 95% O₂ and 10% CO₂, 90% O₂) were 70.0% and 27.5%, 52.5% and 20.0%, 55.0% and 12.5%, respectively. 3. The developmental rates to GV and MI oocytes when cultured at different time of incubation (17∼20, 21∼24, 25∼28 and 29∼32 h) were 67.5% and 20.0%, 67.5% and 30.0%, 62.5% and 22.5%, 65.0% and 15.0%, respectively. 4. The fertilization and cleavage rates of freshly collected oocytes with and without cumulus cells were 72.5% and 25.0%, 37.5% and 7.5%, respectively. The rates were greater in oocytes with cumulus cells than those without cumulus cells. 5. The fertilization and cleavage rates of oocytes recovered from ovaries collected at different stages of the reproductive cycle (inactive, follicular and luteal stage) were 75.0% and 25.0%, 40.0% and 7.5%, 50.0% and 15.0%, respectively.

본 연구는 소형 고양이의 불임 해결과 체외수정란을 생산하기 위한 방안으로서 난자의 형태, 번식주기, 배양시간 및 활성화 처리가 난포란의 체외수정 및 체외발생에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 1. 신선 및 salt에 보존한 난소로부터 회수한 난구세포부착 및 나화 난자를 각각 배양했을때 체외수정율 및 분할율은 65.7%와 17.1%, 28.6%와 8.6% 및 57.1%와 13.3%, 23.3%와 3.3%로서 난구세포 부착 신선난자가 나화 난자에 비해 높은 체외