He giant panda bear is a species endemic to certain parts of China and is seriously threatened with extinction. Being an emblematic animal of the nation, the most diverse conservation programs have been launched to stop and reverse its disappearance.
In this case this biological material developed by Chinese scientists It will be used in research into treatments for diseases that affect this species. The progress lays the foundation for the future cultivation of embryos pandas in laboratory.
Chinese scientists have achieved this Growing stem cells from giant pandas for the first timea material that will initially be used in research into treatments for diseases that affect this species, local media reported on Wednesday.
The progress also lays the foundation for the future cultivation of embryos panda in the laboratory, which shows that potential of genetic engineering in the field of conservation of endangered speciesaccording to researchers quoted exclusively by the pro-government Global Times newspaper.
The research, recently published in the specialist journal Science Advances, was based on cell samples from a male and female bear from the national reserve from Chengdu (Central Sichuan Province) from which induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were generated. They used cell samples from a man and a woman, from which induced pluripotent stem cells were generated.
According to Liu Jing, one of the authors of the study, the generated stem cells can be used for this purpose cultivate functional cells and organs of giant panda that would serve both research purposes and the clinical treatment of diseases, in addition to the production of sperm and eggs useful in in vitro fertilization.
Surrogacy in giant pandas
“We hope that these embryos can one day be used reproduction of bear cubs through surrogacybut there is still a long way to go as this is the first time iPSC technology has been applied pandas giants,” he added.
Those responsible for these advances include the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Animal Breeding Research Base. Pandas Chengdu Giants. China has stepped up its efforts protection and conservation of pandas and its habitat, but its reproduction remains a challenge.
In recent decades, China has stepped up its efforts protection and conservation of pandas and their habitatalthough reproduction in these animals remains a challenge as females are only fertile for two or three days per year, on top of the low libido of males. According to official data released last January, 1,900 people live in the Asian country pandas free in the nature, animals found in nature reserves or zoos are not included.
Giant pandas have required countless care since then which is having great difficulty surviving and reproducing, which is why Chinese scientists are dedicated to its recovery.