본 연구는 티모시 건초와 농후 사료 위주의 사료를 급여한 한우 씨수소 정소상체 정자 체외수정 효율 조사를 통해 정자의 활용 가능성을 조사하였다. 농후 사료는 체중의 1.8%를 급여하고 양질의 티모시 건초를 자유채식 시킨 14개월령 거세우의 정소에서 분리된 정소상체 미부의 정자를 회수하고 동결 흉해 후 체외수정을 실시한 결과는 다음과 같다. 웅성전핵과 자성전핵이 형성(2PN)된 난자는 정상수정으로, 1개의 전핵(1PN), Expanded Sperm Head (ESH), Polyspermy 형태는 비정상적인 수정의 형태로 평가하였다. 정상적으로 수정된 난자의 비율은 정소상체 정자의 경우 전체 침투율은 49.7% 그리고 정상적인 2PN을 가진 난자는 18.5%를 보였으며, 대조구 정자의 전체 침투율은 54.4%로서 정소상체 정자 보다 높은 결과를 보였으나 유의적인 차이를 보이지는 않았다. 정상적으로 2PN을 형성한 비율은 36.7%로서 정소상체 정자를 이용한 정자 보다 높았으나 유의적인 차이는 없었다. 체외수정 후 발달률 조사에서 정소 상체 정자의 분할률은 81.2%, 대조구 정자는 82.7%로 유사한 결과를 보였으나, 배반포 발달률은 정소상체 정자 24.4%와 대조구 정자 12.2%로 정소상체 정자를 사용한 난자의 발달에서는 유의적으로 높았다(p<0.05).

In this study, we examined sperm penetration and blastocyst developmental rate of oocytes to determine fertilizability of cauda epididymal spermatozoa in Hanwoo bull. One testicle with epididymides were castrated from one Hanwoo bull (14 months of age) and transported to laboratory. Spermatozoa recovered from cauda epididymis by mincing with semen extender (Optixcell, IMV, France) and cryporeserved in liquid nitrogen tank until use. As control, frozen Hanwoo semen was used. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from follicles (2-8 mm) of slaughtered ovaries and 10 to15 COCs were matured in 50μl droplet with M-199 media supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 10μg/ml FSH, 10μg/ml LH, 10μg/ml EGF for 22 to 24 hours in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. After maturation of COCs, matured COCs were co-incubated with cauda epididymal spermatozoa in 100μl droplet in modified Brackett and Oliphant media supplemented with 2.5 mM theophylline for 12 or 18 hours under 5% CO2 in air. Sperm concentration was adjusted to 5 × 106cells/ml. After IVF for 18 hours, presumptive zygotes were cultured in modified synthetic oviductal fluid with 1mM glutamine, 12 essential amino acids, 10 μg/ml insulin under 5% CO2, 5% O2 in air. In experiment 1, we examined sperm penetration rate at 12 hours of IVF of frozen-thawed epididymal sperm. Total penetration rate among cauda epididymis and control were not significantly different (mean±standard error, cauda epididymis and control vs. 49.7±11.3 and 54.4±12.8%) In experiment 2, cleavage and blastocyst development rate were evaluated at day 2 and day 8 after IVF for 18 hours. Cleavage rate among cauda epididymis and control was similar different (cauda epididymis and control vs. 81.2±3.4 and 82.7±2.5%). However, blastocyst developmental rate of cauda epididymis group was significantly higher than that of control group (cauda epididymis and control vs. 24.4±1.6 and 12.2±2.8%, p<0.05). In conclusion, cauda epididymal spermatozoa in Hanwoo bull has high fertilizability and embryo development. Cauda epididymal sperm can be used as an alternative to ejaculated frozen sperm in vitro.

In our previous study, exogenous plasminasminogen activators (PAs) influenced to fertility of boar spermatozoa via reduction of zona pellucida (ZP) resistance against protease and number of sperm binding ZP. plasminasmin (plasmin), is converted by PAs, is an important enzyme to degrade extracellular matrix and it is closely associated with fertilization process. Therefore, the aim of present study was to confirm changes of sperm penatration and ZP solubility by plasmin during in vitro fertilization (IVF). The cumulus-oocyte complasminexes (COCs) were aspirated from the antral follicles 3-6 mm in diameter and matured for 44 hours. Then, the cumulus cells were removed and denuded oocytes were co-incubated with spermatozoa for 18-20 hours in IVF medium containing 100 ng/ml plasmin. The number of sperm binding ZP and ZP solubility were measured using hoechst 33342 and 0.5% (w/v) pronase, respectively. Aceto-orcein stain was used to assess fertilization parameters. In results, sperm penetration did not affect by plasmin treatment during fertilization. Hoewever, treatment of plasmin decreased monospermic fertilization and IVF efficiency compared with control group (p<0.05). Furthermore, the number of penetrated sperm and pronucleus formation per zygote in plasmin group was significantly increased compared with control group (p<0.05). Despite of reduced monospermic fertilization by plasmin treatment, the number of sperm binding ZP was significantly higher in non-treated zygote than plasmin-treated zygote (p<0.05). Similar with previous study, ZP digestion time was reduced by plasmin treatment (p<0.05). These findings shown that plasminasmin during fertilization enhance the penetration of spermatozoa into ZP via increasing of ZP solubility and it was correspond with our previous results that fertility of spermatozoa during IVF was increased by exogenous urokinase-type PA treatment via sperm-ZP binding and increase of ZP solubility. Therefore, during the fertilization process, plasmin that is converted by PAs from oviduct epithelial cells might be closely associated with degradation of ZP proteins for penetration of sperm. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Education) (2016R1D1A1B03931746).

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the collection time, co-culture and sperm penetration of canine oocytes on in vitro maturation and fertilization. The oocytes were cultured in TCM-199 media containing hormonal supplements (10% FCS, 10 IU/ml HCG, 10 IU/ml PMSG) at 5% CO2, 95% air, 38℃. The in vitro maturation rate to MⅡ stage of in vitro oocytes recovered from ovaries that collected at follicular, luteal and inactive phases of the reproductive phase for 44～72 hrs were 19.2%, 12.2%, and 6.0%, respectively. Follicular phases oocytes had a significantly higher in vitro maturation rate than oocytes collected at luteal and anestrus stage (p<0.05). The in vitro maturation rates to the MII stage of canine oocytes after 48 hrs of culture with glutathione, pyruvate, or glutathione + pyruvate were 12.5%, 10.7%, and 17.5%, respectively. This was higher than that in both alone or the combination of the two compared to the control group (19.0%). The sperm penetration rates of in vitro matured oocytes by fresh and frozen semen were 29/80 (36.3%) and 18/80 (22.5%), respectively. Although there are limited reports about canine oocytes co-culture and in vitro fertilization, our results on in vitro maturation is comparable to the results from other researches.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of porcine epididymal fluid (pEF) on in vitro-maturation and subsequent fertilization of porcine follicular oocytes. Porcine cumulus-oocytes complexes retrieved from antral follicles were cultured in tissue culture medium (TCM)-199 supplemented with pEF of different concentrations. At 48 h after culture, development of oocytes to germinal vesicle (GV) breakdown, metaphase I, anaphase-telophase I, and metaphase II were examined. Significant (p<0.05) increase in the proportion of oocytes developed to MII stage was observed in oocytes cultured in pEF-containing TCM-199 than in oocytes cultured in pEF-free TCM-199 (46.2% vs 16.7%), which was a dose-dependent manner. Subsequently, the proportion of monospermic fertilization were significantly (p<0.05) increased in oocytes cultured in the TCM supplemented with pEF than those cultured in pEF-free TCM-199 (51.0% vs 24.1%). In the second series of experiment, the percentage of MII oocytes was significantly (p<0.05) increased after exposure of oocytes to pEF during the first 22 h period of culture than after exposure of oocytes to pEF during the next 24 h of culture, while no significant difference in the percentage of monospermy was observed. The results of this study demonstrate that pEF contains at least enhancing component(s) for nuclear maturation.

본 연구는 체외 성숙된 난자와 동결 융해 정자를 이용한 돼지의 체외 수정 과정에서 난구 세포의 존재가 정자 침투율, 웅성전핵 형성률 그리고 후기배로의 체외 발육에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위하여 수행되었다. 돼지 난소로부터 난자-난구세포 복합체를 채취하여 eCG/hCG, 10% 돼지 난포액, epidermal growth factor 등이 첨가된 TCM 199 배양액에서 44시간 배양하여 체외 성숙을 유도하였다. 성숙 배양 후 난구 세포를 제거한 난자와

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

Techniques for manipulation of spermatozoa and oocytes have been widely used for in vitro production(IVP) of Hanwoo. This study was conducted to examine the effects of theophylline and heparin on frozen-thawed Hanwoo sperm for enhancing the efficiency of IVP technique. Oocytes were inseminated with forzen bull semen treated with either theophylline or heparin for examining the effect of each substance on fertilization and subsequent development. More (P<0.05) oocytes formed pronucleus and develop to the morula and blastocyst stages after inseminated with sperm treated with heparin than after inseminated with sperm treated with theophylline. The pregnancy rate after embryo transfer was higher after heparin treatment than after theophylline treatment, but did not differ significantly. There was no significant difference of offspring delivery between two groups. In conculsion, theophylline and heparin can be used for enhancing the efficiency of IVP system for Hanwoo. Considering characteristics of these substance, theophylline may be useful in the artificial insemination system, which requires vigorous sperm motility. While, heparin supporting sperm viability in vitro can be effectively used for improving in vitro-fertilization system.

These experiments were conducted to examine the effects of theophylline, pentoxifylline and heparin on frozen-thawed Hanwoo sperm for enhancing motility and viability of sperm. Frozen-thawed semen collected from one bull was treated in TALP(tyrode-albuminlactate-pyruvate) containing varous concentrations of theophylline and pentoxifylline. After incubated at 5% CO2 in air atmosphere for 6 hours, the motility of sperm after the treatments was characterized by CASA(computer aided semen analysis) system. When monitored notility(MOT) and curvilinear velocity(VCL), theophylline and pentoxifylline exerted their optimal action at the concentration of 30 mM and 3 mM, respectively. No difference of sperm motility was observed when the sperm was treated with both substances compared with a single treatment of each substance. Comparison was then made for evaluating the effect of theophylline and / or pentoxiophylline on the motility and viability of significant treatment effects of each substance, high MOT and VCL values were detected in sperm treated with theophylline. In the case of sperm viability examined by an eosin-nigrosin staining, however, a significant decrease was found after the combined treatment of theophylline+pentoxyphilline than after the treatment with heparin alone or no treatment(P<0.05). In conclusion, theophylline, pentoxiphylline or heparin can be used for enhancing the motional characteristics and viability of frozen thawed Hanwoo semen. Considering characteristics of these substances, theophyline may be useful in the artificial insemination system, which requires vigorous sperm motility. While, heparin supporting sperm viability in vitro can be effectively used for improving in vitro-fertilization system.

Frozen storage of the oocytes has been used in a few mammalian species including mouse, hamster, human and cattle. However, frozen4hawed oocvtes show different sperm penetration on the levels of the zona pellucida and the plasma memhrane when compared with fresh oocytes. To elucidate biological changes occurring during freezing and thawing, we examined the kinetics of sperm penetration into frozen-thawed hamster oocytes. Oocytes obtained from superovulated female golden hamsters were frozen-thawed in an autofreezer according to an established method. Fresh and frozen4hawed oocytes were fertilized in vitro with capacitated hamster spermatozoa after removing the zona pellucida. The oocytes were examined at 1, 2, 3 and 6 h postinsemination. Sperm penetration found to be 1 h delayed in frozen-thawed oocytes. Other parameters such as degree of polyspermy and decondensing sperm heads were not affected by freezing and thawing. The results suggest that freezing and thawing may cause changes in the egg membrane surface and subsequently which leads to delay in the sperm-egg fusion.

Porcine follicular oocytes matured in culture were inseminated with frozen-thawed spermatozoa. When the oocytes were inseminated in the medium with oviductal epithelial cell monolayer, the penetration rates higher in those with (4.1, 31.7, 45.1, 54.5 and 69.4%) than without cells (0, 17.1, 34.8, 45.2 and 58.9%) at 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 h after insemination. The proportions of polyspermy in penetrated oocytes in medium with or without cells increased with time of examine. In another experiment, the penetration rate was higher without (57.6%) than with (19.6~24.1%) preincubation of spermatozoa for 1~4 h in medium. However, when the oocytes were inseminated with spermatozoa preincubated for 1~2 h, the penetration rates significantly higher (P<0.05) in those with (65.6 and 55.9% for 1 and 2 h) than without (24.1 and 20.6% for 1 and 2 h) oviductal epithelial cell monolayer. On the other hand, the proportions of polyspermy decreased with time of spermatozoa preincubation. These results indicate the significant advantages of the spermatozoa preincubation with oviductal epithelial cell monolayer for 1 and 2 h to maintain penetration potential during in vitro fertilization in the porcine.