In the last 10 years, porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer to generate transgenic pig has been performed tremendous development with introduction and knockout of many genes. However, efficiency of porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer is still low and embryo transfer (ET) is one of important step for production efficiency. In porcine ET for production of transgenic cloned pig, we can consider many of points to increase production rates. In respect of seasonality and weather, porcine ET usually is not performed in summer and winter. Cloned transgenic embryos must be transferred into reproductive tracts of recipients where embryos are located after natural fertilization with similar estrous cycle. If cloned embryos with 2∼4 cell stage are transferred, they must be transferred into oviducts in periovulatory stage. Number and deposition sites of transferred cloned embryos are important. And we must compare the methods of ET between surgical and non-surgical ones in respect of production efficiency. Sow recipients after natural estrus is most preferred recipients however its cost is must be considered. Here we will review many of current studies about porcine embryo transfer to increase production efficiency of transgenic pigs and strategies for further studies.

The purpose of this study is to develop transgenic cell line expressing targeted human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (hGCSF) and green fluorescence protein (GFP) genes as well as production of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) embryos derived from co-expressed transgenic donor cells. Constructed pPiggy-mWAP-hGCSF-EF1-GFP vector was chemically transfected into bovine fetus cells and then, only GFP expressed cells were selected as donor cells for SCNT. Cleavage and blastocyst rates of parthenogenetic, SCNT embryos using non-TG cell and hGCSF-GFP dual expressed SCNT embryos were examined (cleavage rate: 78.0±2.8 vs. 73.1±3.2 vs. 70.4±4.3%, developmental rate: 27.2 ±3.2 vs. 21.9±3.1 vs. 17.0±2.9%). Result indicated that cleavage and blastocyst rates of TG embryos were significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of parthenogenetic and non-TG embryos, respectively. In this study, we successfully produced hGCSF-GFP dual expressed SCNT embryos and cryopreserved to produce transgenic cattle for bioreactor system purpose. Further process of our research will transfer of transgenic embryos to recipients and production of hGCSF secreting cattle.

Recently, the transgenic animal production technique is very important for the production of bio-parmaceutical as animal bio-reactor system. However, the absence of survival evaluation in vitro produced transgenic embryos has been a problem of the low productivity of transgenic animal because of absent of pre-estimate of pregnancy after transgenic embryos transferred into recipient. Therefore, this study is conducted to improve efficiency of transgenic cattle production by improving the non-surgical embryo transfer (ET) method. Transgenic bovine embryos were produced by injection of feline immunodeficiency virus enhanced green fluorescent protein (FIV-EGFP) lentiviral vector into perivitelline space of in vitro matured MІІ stage oocytes, and then in vitro fertilization (IVF) was occured. Normal IVF and EGFP expressing blastocysts were transferred into recipients. Results indicated that 2 expanded blastocysts (34.7%) transferred group showed significantly (P<0.05) higher pregnancy rate than 1 expanded blastocyst (26.8%) transferred group. In case of parity of recipient, ET to heifer (34.9%) showed significantly (P<0.05) higher pregnancy rate than ET to multiparous recipient (21.2%). However, there are no significant differences of pregnancy rate between natural induced estrus and artificial induced estrus groups. Significantly (P<0.05) higher pregnancy rate was obtained from recipient group which have normal corpus luteum with crown group (34.8%) than normal corpus luteum without crown (13.6%). Additionally, treatment of 100 μg Gn-RH injection to recipient group (38.6%) 1 day before ET significantly (P<0.05) increase pregnancy rate than non- Gn-RH injection to recipient group (38.6%). We also transferred 2 EGFP expressing expanded blastocysts to each 19 recipients, 7 recipients were pregnant and finally 5 EGFP transgenic cattle were produced under described ET condition. Therefore, our result suggested that transfer of 2 good-quality expanded blastocysts to 100 μg of Gn-RH injected recipient which have normal corpus luteum with crown is feasible to produce transgenic cattle.

본 연구의 목적은 inbred 마우스 (C57BL/6J)의 수정란을 이용하여 형질전환마우스를 생산할 때, 수정란이식의 효율성을 증진시키기 위한 것이다. C57BL/6J 및 BCF1 마우스로부터 과배란처리 방법에 의해 수정란을 얻고, DNA를 1 세포기 수정란에 미세 주입한 다음, 1세포기 또는 2 세포기의 수정란을 가임신된 마우스의 한쪽 또는 양쪽 난관에 각각 이식하였다. 1세포기의 수정란을 0.75 d.p.c. 가임신된 마우스의 한쪽 난관에 이식했을 때, 임신율이 C57BL/6J는 68.8±7.83%, BCF1은 48.3±14.22% 이었고, 이식한 수정란 당 산자의 발달율은 C57BL/6J가 11.9±5.51%, BCF1은 10.5±8.03%로 성적이 저조하였다. 그러나, 2세포기의 수정란을 0.5 d.p.c. 가임신된 마우스의 양쪽 난관에 이식했을 때, 임신율이 C57BL/6J는 94.4±9.64%, 13CFl은 100±0% 이었고, 이식한 수정란 당 산자의 발달율은 C57BL/6J가 22.1 ±0.4%, BCF1은 21.8±0.38%였다. 따라서 C57BL/6J 마우스의 2세포기 수정란을 0.5 d.p.c. 가임신된 마우스의 양쪽 난관에 이식하는 것이, BCF1마우스와 유사한 성적을 얻어 경쟁력이 있는 것으로 판단되었다. 이러한 결과에 영향을 미치는 인자가 여러 가지 있을 것으로 판단되지만, C57BL/6J 마우스의 2세포기 수정란을 0.5 d.p.c.가임신된 마우스의 양쪽 난관에 이식하는 방법이 다른 방법보다 형질전환마우스를 생산하는데 효율성이 더 높은 것으로 본 실험에서 확인되었다.

During the last three decades considerable advances has been made in goat embryo production and transfer technology. The Korean native black goat is the most useful domestic ruminant in this country for biological investigation and application because it has a lot of merits such as relatively short generation period(1 vs 2 year for a cow), easy of handling, well adaptation, high fertility, convenient and inexpensive. This article covers the methods of superovulation, estrus synchronization, embryo collection and transfer techniques, pregnancy diagnosis and subsequent pregnancy and kidding rates for the production of transgenic Korean native black goats. More than one hundred goat kids have been produced as a result of our transgenic goat project via microinjection of foreign gene into pronuclei, in vitro culture, transfer of various stages of fresh and frozen-thawed microinjected embryos into oviducts or uteri of recipient does. We have got two transgenic goats carrying a transgene targeting the expression of recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor(hG-CSF) to the mammary gland so far. Since collection and transfer of embryos in this species is usually accomplished by laparotomy, exteriorization of the reproductive tract for surgical embryo collection leads to the formation of post-operative adhesions. Nonsurgical or laparoscopic technique to reduce adhesions from repeated surgeries has great advantages in improving embryo production and transfer especially from valuable donors. We will discuss this later.

During the last three decades considerable advances has been made in goat embryo production and transfer technology. The Korean native black goat is the most useful domestic ruminant in this country for biological investigation and application because it has a lot of merits such as relatively short generation period (1 vs 2 year for a cow), easy of handling, well adaptation, high fertility, convenient and inexpensive. This article covers the methods of superovulation, estrus synchronization, embryo collection and transfer techniques, pregnancy diagnosis and subsequent pregnancy and kidding rates for the production of transgenic Korean native black goats. More than one hundred goat kids have been produced as a result of our transgenic goat project via microinjection of foreign gene into pronuclei, in vitro culture, transfer of various stages of fresh and frozen-thawed microinjected embryos into oviducts or uteri of recipient does. We have got two transgenic goats carrying a transgene targeting the expression of recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (hG-CSF) to the mammary gland so far. Since collection and transfer of embryos in this species is usually accomplished by laparotomy, exteriorization of the reproductive tract for surgical embryo collection leads to the formation of post-operative adhesions. Nonsurgical or laparoscopic technique to reduce adhesions from repeated surgeries has great advantages in improving embryo production and transfer especially from valuable donors. We will discuss this later.

Ferritin light heavy chain (FLHC) gene는 일부 중금속과 결합, 저장 및 운반하여 무독화 시킬 수 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. Fe 관련 유전자인 FLHC유전자를 식물 발현용 promoter인 35S promoter와 Tnos를 사용하여 식물 형질전환용 vector를 재조합하였다. 식물세포형질전환용 binary vector는 상기 cassette vector가 조립이 매우 양호하며 border sequence를 가지고 있는 pRD400 binary vector를 사용하여 최종적으로 가나마이신 내성 유전자 (NPT II gene)와 tadpole ferritin heavy chain gene 및 human ferritin light chain gene를 함유하고 있는 binary vector를 재조합하였다. Binary vector의 아그로박테리움에 도입은 triparental mating 방법에 의하여 수행하여 AB배지 및 가나마이신 함유 배지에서 disarmed Ti-vector를 가지고 있는 Agrobacterium tumefaciens MP90/FLHC을 선발하였다. FLHC 유전자 도입된 식물형질전환용 binary vector를 이용하여 형질전환방법을 변형하여 많은 embryo를 유도하였으며 유도된 embryo들은 GA 10mg/L가 첨가된 배지에 지상부를 유도하였다. 형질전환체식물체의 정상적인 생장을 유도하기 위해 최적의 배양조건을 조사하였던 바, 비교적 1/3 MS배지에서 뿌리의 생장과 지상부의 생장이 균일하게 생장하는 경향을 보였으며, 뿌리와 줄기가 잘 발달된 약 7cm의 유식물체를 대량으로 증식하여, 모래와 흙이 1:1로 혼합된 토양에 옮겼다.