Biobanking efforts and new advances in male fertility preservation for rare and endangered species—COMIZZOLI—2018

Discovering and sustaining biodiversity requires structured and accessible biomaterial collections (Genome Resource Banks). Large cryo-collections help comprehend, catalog, and safeguard the genetic variety of animals and plants. In recent decades, the systematic collection and preservation of rare species' sperm has increased dramatically, and several biobanks are now actively employed for endangered species management and propagation (including the introduction of species such as the black-footed ferret and the giant panda). Innovations in male fertility preservation for people, livestock, and lab animals are relevant to protecting and propagating domestic and wild species. These novel options include testicular tissue preservation paired with xenografting or in vitro culture, all of which have the potential to rescue enormous amounts of useless germplasm. Other solutions in development could have a big impact in a decade (stem cell technologies, bio-stabilization of sperm cells at ambient temperatures, and the use of genomics tools). Biobanking and fertility preservation must spread beyond mammalian species to better manage animals that serve as biomedical models or are endangered.

Comizzoli P. (2015). Biobanking efforts and new advances in male fertility preservation for rare and endangered species. Asian journal of andrology, 17(4), 640–645. https://doi.org/10.4103/1008-682X.153849