Biologists create a bank of stem cells of endangered species of animals
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Biologists create a bank of stem cells of endangered animal species. "Contributions" will be useful for the recovery of endangered populations, increasing genetic diversity and fertilization, if there are no males left in the population.
Protection of endangered species
To preserve biodiversity, scientists are ready for much. So, for the sake of saving the Tasmanian devils, disappearing because of an incurable oncological disease, scientists analyzed the genomes of one healthy and one sick animal.
And in the US in a team with zoologists and ecologists working dogs. Specially trained dogs do not chase prey, but find traces of endangered species and help scientists to mark the coordinates of places through which skunks and caresses passed.
Other zoologists create the concept of using images of chimpanzees in the media. They believe that the true image of the chimpanzee exacerbates the already deplorable state of the endangered species.
Researchers from California's scientific centers approached the endangered species on the other side. Inbar Fridrich Ben-Nun of the Scripps Research Institute and his colleagues decided to create a bank of induced stem cells. Cells can be used for the reproduction and recovery of the population.
"The number of populations of some endangered species is so small that they can not provide the necessary level of genetic diversity," the scientists write in an article published today in Nature Methods. "Moreover, small populations often suffer from complex metabolic and genetic defects."
Genetic naze
Induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSC) are stem cells derived from adult somatic cells. For example, from skin cells. In them, as in embryonic stem cells, genetic information about all the signs of the animal is preserved.
As the cells differentiate, this information is gradually "archived". And this is understandable, why, for example, does the eye need information about the heel? In this sense, stem cells of endangered animals are a "stash" of genetic material preserved in full.
Technologies for reprogramming somatic cells in stem cells are tested on human, rodent and monkey tissues. From the "skin" stem cells has already appeared full sperm, teeth, liver and other organs. Of the IPSC even normal mice were born, which gave full-fledged offspring.
Inbar Friedrich Wen-Nan and colleagues for the first time adapted the technology to other types of animals. They created the induced stem cells of one of the representatives of monkeys (drill, Mandrillus leucophaeus) and the largest rhinoceros (white rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simu cottoni).
Drill and rhinoceros
"Drills are on the brink of extinction. In the wild they are found in Nigeria, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, - scientists write, explaining the relevance of their work. "The number of animals is steadily declining because of illegal hunting and the constant destruction of habitat." With the team of Ven-Nana agree and other scientists who recently pofotohotil in the tropics.
"Zoologists are trying to preserve these primates, but a limited number of animals are used for their reproduction, which increases the risks of the appearance of genetic diseases," the scientists continue. "Moreover, these primates often suffer from diabetes mellitus." Scientists are sure that the obtained IPSC can be used to treat individual individuals of a vanishing species of primates. In some cases IPSK will also be useful for reproductive medicine - to increase the birth rate in zoos.
Scientists pay attention to the fact that white rhinos generally live very hard. Back in 1960 in the wild, there were 2,230 individuals of Ceratotherium simu cottoni. Now there are only seven of them, four of which are sexually mature. Such a small population can not ensure the necessary level of genetic diversity: the offspring of these animals is likely to suffer from genetic diseases. Moreover, scientists write that the remaining rhinos do not interbreed with each other. Therefore, perhaps, the received IPSK - the last chance to save the rhinoceroses. From stem cells, you can make sperm and fertilize the female rhinoceros.
Scientists are sure that in the zoological bank of stem cells in the near future there will be "contributions" from other endangered species of animals and populations in which there are no males left.
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