iPSCs in Rescuing Endangered Species

One of the institutions using biotechnology tools for conservation of species is the San Diego zoo Institute of Conservation research. The institute houses the Frozen Zoo® which contains over 10,000 living cell cultures, oocytes, sperm, and embryos. This biobank provides the resources as back-up and also for conducting reproductive technology experiments. The institute in collaboration with The Scripps Research Institute and the University of California published an article in 2011 demonstrating the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from two endangered species: drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) and northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni). This study opens up the possibility of producing germ cells from iPSCs to be introduced to closely-related breeding species.

Retroviral production needed for transduction of generated fibroblast cell lines can be performed efficiently through our bioreactors. Our TideXcell™ (for adherent) bioreactors provide low shear, foam or bubbling-free, and high aeration culture environment with improved cell growth, thereby increasing the viral yields.