This study was performed to establish a new parameter for estimating gestational age and predicting parturition day by ultrasonographic measurement of deep portion of telencephalic vesicle (DPTV) diameter in small dogs. Fetal head diameter (HD) and DPTV diameter were measured in 15 pregnant Pekingese bitches, from Day 15 to the parturition day, and evaluated the correlation between gestational age. HD was measured from day 29 of pregnancy to parturition day and increased from 4.9 ± 2 mm to 25.5 ± 0.7 mm. Especially, from day 38 of pregnancy to parturition day, HD uniformly increased about 0.6 mm per day and was significantly and linearly relative to gestational age during this period (r2>0.99). DPTV diameter was measured from day 35 to day 60 of pregnancy and increased from 3.2 ± 0.9 mm to 11.5 ± 0.7 mm. Especially from day 38 to day 60 of pregnancy, DPTV diameter uniformly increased about 1 mm per 3 days and was significantly and linearly relative to gestational age during this period (r2>0.99). In conclusion, DPTV diameter could to be a useful parameter for the estimation of gestational age and the prediction of parturition day when used alone or in combination with HD during the second half of pregnancy.

Kang Hui-suk. 2012. A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Fetus Naming and Its Diffusion. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 20(2). pp. 33-61 . This study attempted a socilinguistic analysis on the fetus naming and its diffusion as a new custom. The subjects of the study were 248 first-graders of elementary schools, 175 young children from nurseries and 423 parents who are living in Gwangju and Damyang in Jeonnam. The results are summarized as follows: First of all, the types of fetus naming and naming principles were analysed and it was discovered that most of fetus names were Korean, not Chinese, such as bokdeongi, teunteuni or ttolttori while real names were usually Chinese. Real names were made by parents or name experts in consideration of Saju or meanings of names after babies were born. However, fetus names were given by their parents in the early or middle periods of pregnancy. As a result of examining how many children had fetus names in each class, it was discovered that 43.5% of the first graders had fetus names and 76.9% of young children in nurseries had them. It shows that the custom of fetus naming is expanding very fast and such expansion was found both in urban and rural areas. When motives to give fetus names were analysed, it was discovered that parents intended to talk to their babies calling their names every day, thinking the fetus are lives with personality. They believed that when names are called frequently, the meanings of the names can be achieved. 66.5% responded that fetus names are necessary. Also, parents felt babies exist through fetus names. The names weremeans of conversation and worked to enhance friendliness and rapport between parents and their babies. The names gave helps to prenatal care as well as delivered what parents expect to the babies, enhanced rapport between parents and babies, removed anxiety of pregnancy and added happiness to their life.

To examine the differential expression of proteins during the cycling (70～80% confluences) and G0/G1 (full confluences) phases in porcine fetal fibroblast cells, we used a global proteomics approach by 2‐D gel electrophoresis (2‐DE) and MALDI‐TOF‐MS. Cycling cell were harvested at approximately 70% to 80% confluent state while cells in G0/G1 phase were recovered after maintenance of a confluent state for 48 hr. Cellular proteins with isoelectric points ranging between 3.0～10.0, were analyzed by 2‐DE with 2 replicates of each sample. A total of approximately 700 spots were detected by 2‐D gels stained with Coomassie brilliant blue. On comparing the cell samples obtained from the cycling and G0/G1 phases, a total of 13 spots were identified as differentially expressed proteins, of which 8 spots were up‐regulated in the cycling cell and 5 were up‐regulated in the G0/G1 phase. Differentially expressed proteins included K3 keratin, similar to serine protease 23 precursor, protein disulfide‐isomerase A3, microsomal protease ER‐60, alpha‐actinin‐2, and heat‐shock protein 90 beta. The identified proteins were grouped on the basis of their basic functions such as molecular binding, catabolic, cell growth, and transcription regulatory proteins. Our results show expression profiles of key proteins in porcine fetal fibroblast cells during different cell cycle status.

The stem cell research is emerging as a cutting edge topic for a new treatment for many chronic diseases. Recently, dental stem cell would be possible for regeneration of tooth itself as well as periodontal tissue. However, the study of the cell characterization is scarce. Therefore, we performed the genetic profiling and the characterization of mouse fetus/neonate derived dental tissue and cell to find the identification during dental development. We separated dental arch from mandibles of 14.5 d fetal mice and neonate 0 d under the stereoscope, and isolated dental cells primarily from the tissues. Then, we examined morphology and the gene expression profiles of the primary cells and dental tissues from fetus/neonate and adult with RT-PCR. Primary dental cells showed heterogeneous but the majority was shown as fibroblast-like morphology. The change of population doubling time levels (PDLs) showed that the primary dental cells have growth potential and could be expanded under our culture conditions without reduction of growth rate. Immunocytochemical and flow cytometric analyses were performed to characterize the primary dental cell populations from both of fetus (E14.5) and neonate. Alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), vimentin, and von Willebrand factor showed strong expression, but desmin positive cells were not detected in the primary dental cells. Most of the markers were not uniformly expressed, but found in subsets of cells, indicating that the primary dental cell population is heterogeneous, and characteristics of the populations were changed during culture period. And mesenchymal stem cell markers were highly expressed. Gene expression profile showed Wnt family and its related signaling molecules, growth factors, transcription factors and tooth specific molecules were expressed both fetal and neonatal tissue. The tooth specific genes (enamelin, amelogenin, and DSPP) only expressed in neonate and adult stage. These expression patterns appeared same as primary fetal and neonatal cells. In this study we isolated primary cells from whole mandible of fetal and neonatal mice. And we investigated the characteristics of the primary cells and the profile of gene expressions, which are involved in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during tooth development. Taken together, the primary dental cells in early passages or fetal and neonatal mandibles could be useful stem cell resources.

임신랫드에 융모성성선자극호르몬을 투여한 후 모체의 황체와 태아에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위하여 임신랫드에 융모성성선자극호르몬제제인 Profasai 1000(Serona, Switzland) 50 또는 100IU를 임신 4, 8, 12 또는 16일에 각각 투여한 후 임신20일에 부검하여 태아와 모체에 대한 조사를 한 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 황체는 모든 대조군과 HCG투여군에서 그 수가 거의 비슷한 수준이었고 임신8일의 경우에 그 수가 비교적 감소되었다. 2. 태아의 흡수는 임신 4, 8및 12일의 HCG투여군과 임신 12일의 대조군에서 나타났지만 임신4일의 경우가 발생빈도가 현저하게 높았고 임신 12일의 경우는 매우 낮았다. 3. 태아의 체중은 임신4일에 50IU의 HCG투여군에서만 감소되었다. 4. 태아의 골격검사에서 기형발생과 골화의 이상은 인정되지 않았지만 변이는 인정되었다. 변이는 14번늑골만 인정되었으며, 임신 4, 8 그리고 12일의 HCG투여군과 임신8일과 16일의 대조군에서 다양하게(5.26~8.33%) 나타났다. 5. 임신랫드에 HCG를 투여하면 태아의 흡수가 나타날 수 있지만 골격형성 과정에서 반드시 변이가 발생된다고 생각하지 않는다.

Pluripotent cells are categorized as either "naive" or "primed" based upon their pluripotent status. According to previous studies, embryonic stem cells and embryonic germ cells are identified as naive pluripotent stem cells and epiblast stem cells are identified as primed pluripotent stem cells. In a permissive species such as the mouse, naive and primed pluripotent stem cells can be derived from embryos without genetic manipulations. In non-permissive species such as humans and pigs, primed pluripotent cells are only established from embryos. However, previous studies have shown that the embryonic germ cells of non-permissive species share similar morphology and features with naive pluripotent cells. For these reasons porcine embryonic germ cells (pEGCs) may provide a useful cell source for comparative studies on naive pluripotent cells in non-permissive species. In this study, we attempted to establish and characterize porcine embryonic germ cells. Consequently, an embryonic germ cell line was derived from the genital ridges of a porcine dpc 30 fetus in media containing bFGF. This cell line displayed a dome-shaped colony morphology. The cell line was maintained in a stable condition over an extended time period and was able to differentiate into the three germ layers in vitro. Pluripotency markers such as OCT4, SOX2, NANOG and SSEA4 were expressed in these pEGCs. Similar with pESCs, Mek/Erk signaling pathway were activated by bFGF in the cultured pEGCs. In conclusion, we were able to successfully derive embryonic germ cells from genital ridges of a porcine fetus. Unlikely naive pluripotent cells such as mESCs, pluripotency of pEGCs were regulated by Mek/Erk signaling pathway activated by bFGF. This cell line could potentially be used as naive pluripotent cell source for comparative study with porcine embryonic stem cells and other pluripotent cell lines. As porcine pluripotent cells, pEGCs could be useful candidates for preliminary studies of human disease as well as a source for generating transgenic animals.

환경호르몬(내분비계 장애물질)이 하등동물의 생식기 및 생식 기능 이상을 초래한다는 최근보고는 포유동물도 그 영향하에 있음을 암시한다. 따라서 2-bromopropane(2-BP)이 생쥐 차산자의 성별에 미치는 영향과 성 분화 과정 중에 발현되는 유전자를 조사하였다. 생쥐를 2-BP로 3주일 동안 주입한 암수를 4종류 조합으로 교배시 킨 후 태어난 새끼들의 성별을 이유시기에 결정하였다. 성관련 유전자들은 수태 후 10일에 어미 생쥐를 희생시켜 RT-PCR