Assisted Reproductive Technology in Mammals

Abstract

This review describes the use of modern reproductive biotechnologies or assisted reproductive techniques (ART) including artificial insemination, embryo transfer, in vitro fertilization, gamete/embryo micromanipulation, semen sexing, genome resource banking, and somatic cell nuclear transfer (cloning) for mammalian species. Such biotechnologies allow more offspring to be obtained from selected parents to increase productivity of milk and meat, reduce the interval between generations, therapy of diseases and conservation of endangered mammalian species. Practically, current reproductive biotechnologies are species-specific because of differences in estrous cycle, seasonality, structural anatomy, gamete physiology and site for semen deposition or method of embryo transfer.