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Purity and physiological compatibility of each batches of
culture medium used for IVF/ET programs are tested critically
by using mouse and bovine oocytes before they are used for human
application.
In addition, basic researches are continuously carried out to
improve the quality and condition of the culture system in support
of medical services of the highest quality. |
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| To increase the in vitro fertilization and hatching rates,
researches on basic principles and techniques for micromanipulations
such as ICSI and laser drilling are being carried out. |
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| To increase the survival rate of surplus embryos upon cryopreservation
and thawing, our institute is developing a new cryopreservation
technique (ultra-rapid and vitrification) that can be used for
oocytes of both early and late stages of development. |
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We have developed a new protocol for freezing bovine oocytes
using our own cryoprotectants and ultra-rapid thawing method
which yielded survival, fertilization, and developmental rates
of the world record.
This new technical achievement caused us to establish the first-in-the-world
bovine ovum bank and is expected to be directly applicable to
clinical practices with little modifications.
Successful application of the new techniques will be a monumental
turning point in ART. |
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We have successfully established homogeneous human embryonic
stem (hES) cells lines that can be used for cell replacement
therapy for several irremediable diseases.
In addition, ex vivo differentiation protocol was developed
for directing embryonic stem cells to become neuronal cells
that can be used for transplantation purpose.
The achievement is the first in Korea and will facilitate clinical
applications as well as researches using animal models. |
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| Legistry of Maria hES cell line in NIH 》 http://escr.nih.gov/maria
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Artificial oocytes of model animal were made successfully.
The protocol is expected to be directly applicable to women
suffering from prenatal anovarism, anovulation, premature menopause,
or ovarian cancer.
This achievement has proven that our research programs and ART
are comparable to those of the leaders of the world in this
field. |
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Interspecies nuclear transfer is for making hybrid eggs using
human nuclear and bovine oocyte cytoplasm.
Once a human nucleus is implanted into an enucleated bovine
oocyte,
the resulting hybrid egg with genetic material, almost purely
of a human, is cultured for 7-8 days in vitro to become usable
blastocyst (Published in the Wall Street Journal, 20 March,
2002).
This experiment was carried out to develop techniques for producing
hES cells of therapeutic use from bovine embryos, because obtaining
human oocyte for experimental purpose is ethically and practically
not very plausible. |
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Center : This
work was carried out by Maria biotech |
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Purpose : |
Since
parthenogenetic embryonic stem cells are made without
sperms, no organismal development is possible although
they are implanted into uterus (no cloned baby)
and it will provide basic informations on cell replacement
therapy (Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer disease,
Diabetes, etc) without immune rejection in case
of women. |
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Background : |
Parthenogenetic embryos, derived from unfertilized oocytes
by chemical stimulation, are expected to be as equally
pluripotent as normal embryos, but they do not develop
into a fetus when implanted into a uterus. Because of
this, parthenogenetic stem cells face no ethical debates.
In addition, since the parthenogenetic stem cells are
made from one's own oocyte, the graft is not to be immunologically
rejected upon transplantation.
These great advantages will circumvent both ethical and
practical difficulties in cell transplantation therapies
which is based on fertilized-embryo-derived stem cells.
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Potential of parthenogenetid Es cells
Since parthenogenetic stem cells are made without sperms, no
organismal development is possible although they are implanted
into uterus. Parthenogenetic stem cells will face no ethical
problems.
Significance
Since parthenogenetic stem cells are made without sperms, no
organismal development is possible
although they are implanted into uterus.
Differently from therapeutic clonings using somatic cells, parthenogenetic
stem cells will face no
ethical problems.
Researches using parthenogenetic stem cells will provide basic
informations on transplantation
therapies without immune rejection in case of women.
We have recently developed a protocol that can produced functional
cardiomyocytes with regular
beating in a defined culture condition for the first
time in the world.
* This study presented inKorean Society
of Fertility and Sterility and Korean Society of Animal Reproduction
in 2002(espedially, Grand prize in Korean Society of Animal
Reproduction)
Parthenogenetic embryoinc stem cells will serve as a good model
system for understanding differentiation mechanism of mammalian
cardiomyocytes in early developmental stage and also provide
important informations on cell replacement therapy for a various
human disease. Furthermore, since parthernogenetic stem cells
have little ethical problems, the cells will replace the place
of fertilized-embryo-derived stem cells in this research field.
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