Which reproductive technologies are most relevant to studying, managing and conserving wildlife?

Mastromonaco

et al. 2007

Reprod. Fertil. Dev.

Abstract. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have been used successfully in humans, domestic and laboratory species for many years. In contrast, our limited knowledge of basic reproductive physiology has restricted the application of ART in companion animal, non-domestic and endangered species (CANDES). Although there are numerous benefits, and in some cases a necessity, for applying ART for the reproductive and genetic management of CANDES, the challenges encountered with even the most basic procedures have limited the rate of progress. In this foreword we discuss the status of conventional ART, such as artificial insemination and in vitro fertilisation, as well as their benefits and inherent difficulties when applied to CANDES. It is upon these techniques, and ultimately our knowledge of basic reproductive physiology, that the success of emerging technologies, such as those described in this special issue, are dependent for success.Development of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) for domestic species and humans has been ongoing for several decades and is routine practice in many situations. Welldeveloped technologies in domestic species include artificial insemination (AI), in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET). Unfortunately, this wealth of knowledge developed for commercially important livestock species, biomedically relevant model species and human infertility treatment cannot be directly applied to other species, as significant species-specific challenges exist. Our knowledge of the basic reproductive physiology of many companion animal, non-domestic and endangered species (CANDES) is limited in comparison. This is partly due to scarce and costly animal resources, lack of economic demand and inadequate research funding. However, there is a need for reproductive knowledge in CANDES to meet an increased interest in breeding companion animals for pleasure and recreation, propagate valuable genetic models for biomedical research (Songsasen and Wildt 2007), and manage ex situ populations of endangered species (Pukazhenthi and Wildt 2004). Although ART have numerous potential applications, we must remind ourselves that the success of any ART is completely dependent on our knowledge of basic reproductive physiology, in any species. Thus, detailed descriptions of reproductive cycles (seasonal patterns, ovulatory mechanisms, etc.), structural anatomy, and gamete and embryo physiology must be collected in many, if not most, CANDES before advanced ART can be effectively used to significantly impact reproductive and genetic management.

Section: Advantagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Disadvantages and Complicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Disadvantages and Complicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Foreword: A perspective on the role of emerging technologies for the propagation of companion animals, non-domestic and endangered species

Mastromonaco

et al. 2007

Reprod. Fertil. Dev.

Cryopreservation and Laser Nanowarming of Zebrafish Embryos Followed by Hatching and Spawning

et al. 2020

protocols to bank precious germplasm from endangered species, [1,4] manage biodiversity, provide year-round access to embryos to grow and harvest important aquaculture species, [5,6] and support biomedical research [7,8] and gene banking. [9] One of the best model systems for studying teleost embryo cryopreservation is the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo. Since becoming an increasingly important model system for biomedical research, [10,11] researchers have enhanced this model into tens of thousands of mutant, transgenic, and wild-type zebrafish lines. [12-14] Since preserving all these valuable genotypes through live fish colonies is expensive, risky, and beyond the capacity of even the largest stock centers, cryopreservation is an important technique for insuring against the loss of genetically important lines due to catastrophic events, such as the spread of an infectious disease or reproductive failures within a breeding facility. [10,11] Further, it can reduce significant long-term cost and space needs by banking valuable zebrafish lines that are not routinely used. [10,11] In last decade many other aquatic species such as medaka, [15] Xiphophorus, [16] and Xenopus [17] have also become increasingly valuable biomedical models and require robust embryo cryopreservation protocols for long term maintenance of transgenic and mutant lines. [10] Cryopreservation relies on two key techniques. First, a certain amount of intracellular water must be replaced with viscous antifreeze molecules, or cryoprotective agents (CPA). Second, the cooling and rewarming of specimens to and from cryogenic temperatures must occur at rates faster than the rates of ice crystallization. These "critical cooling" and "critical warming" rates and the CPA type and concentration used for vitrification are inversely related, i.e., the higher the CPA concentration is, the lower the critical cooling and warming rates. In addition, critical warming rates exceed critical cooling rates by at least an order of magnitude in both cryoprotectant media and biological systems. [18,19] The main challenges with applying the these well-known principles of cryopreservation to zebrafish embryos are i) the relatively large size of the embryo (1000 times bigger in volume than the mammalian gametes that are routinely cryopreserved), resulting in a low surface-to-volume ratio that impedes water and CPA efflux/influx; ii) the presence of multiple compartments, such as the blastoderm and yolk, with differing This study shows for the first time the ability to rewarm cryopreserved zebrafish embryos that grow into adult fish capable of breeding normally. The protocol employs a single injection of cryoprotective agents (CPAs) and gold nanorods (GNRs) into the yolk and immersion in a precooling bath to dehydrate the perivitelline space. Then embryos are encapsulated within CPA and GNR droplets, plunged into liquid nitrogen, cryogenically stabilized, and rewarmed by a laser pulse. Postlaser nanowarming, embryos (n = 282) exhibit intact structure by 1 h (40%), continued ...

Anatomicohistological Characteristics of the Tubular Genital Organs of the Female Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix poeppigii)

Mayor

Bowler

López-Plana

2012

American J Primatol

Functional morphology of the reproductive organs is a key component for the better understanding of reproductive patterns as well to maximize reproductive efficiency and to develop assisted breeding techniques adapted to wildlife. This study examined anatomical and histological characteristics of genital organs of 60 Poeppig's woolly monkey females in the wild in different reproductive stages, collected by rural hunters in the northeastern Peruvian Amazon. The endometrium, the endometrial glands, and the myometrium showed a significant increase in size related to the follicular growth. In nonpregnant females in the follicular phase, the endometrium, the endometrial glands, and the myometrium showed a significant increase related to the follicular growth. Nonpregnant females in the luteal phase had a thicker endometrium, a greater proliferation of endometrial glands, and a thicker myometrium, compared to females in the follicular phase. Nonpregnant females with small antral follicles presented high amounts of collagen beneath the endometrial epithelium, a sign of endometrial regeneration after menstruation that could be useful for the diagnosis of the reproductive phase in this species. A larger proportion of secreting cervical glands was observed in pregnant females compared to other females. The cervical mucous secretion occupied the lumen of the endocervical canal, assuring that no material could enter the uterus during gestation. The Poeppig's woolly monkey showed different vaginal epithelium features in accordance with the reproductive state of the female, suggesting that vaginal cytology could be a successful methodology with which to characterize the estrous cycle of wild primates. The present reproductive evaluation of Poeppig's woolly monkey provides important information that could improve the methodologies for the diagnosis of the reproductive phase of females, the assisted reproductive techniques in non-human primates, and could also give us opportunity for comparative studies and an insight into the evolution of animal reproductive biology, including humans.