Panda stem cell technology could save endangered animals

Chinese scientists have managed, for the first time, to develop a type of self-renewing stem cell from giant pandas, representing an important advance for the preservation and conservation of these animals and, potentially, other species at risk of extinction.

Researchers from the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base and the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health said this new technique can overcome limitations in preserving the genetic diversity of pandas and enable more advanced studies, including diseases. Currently, it is estimated that there are around 2,000 giant pandas in the wild, who face threats to their survival due to human activities such as deforestation and road construction.

Although conservation initiatives, such as habitat protection and captive breeding, have been effective, scientists warn that some panda populations are at a greater than 90% risk of extinction, making it “imperative” to preserve their genetic resources, according to the team.

Self-renewing cells, known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), have the ability to regenerate into different cell types.

These induced stem cells are created by reprogramming cells in the body, such as those in the skin or hair, to an embryonic state, allowing them to function as starter cells capable of transforming into various types of tissue.

The team developed these cells by reprogramming fibroblasts, a type of connective tissue cell. Previously, scientists had already managed to isolate and preserve some panda cells, such as those from bone marrow and umbilical cord, which can also be transformed into other types of cells.

“Despite these efforts, the limited proliferation capacity and poor differentiation capacity of these cells hinder their application in research on giant pandas,” the team wrote in an article published in Science Advancesa peer-reviewed journal. “Induced pluripotent stem cells offer an inexhaustible, self-renewing source of genetic material from endangered species and can regenerate diverse cell types as needed.”

Zhang Shihao, co-author of the study, said that one of the main advantages of iPSCs is their ease of obtaining, as they can be derived from skin or hair cells without harming pandas. “In addition, iPSCs have the potential to self-renew and can differentiate in multiple directions, including into mesenchymal stem cells,” Zhang added. Mesenchymal stem cells can transform into different types of tissues, such as bones, cartilage, muscles and fat.

The application of this iPSC technology has shown great potential for the conservation of other threatened species, such as the Sumatran rhinoceros and the Tasmanian devil. “[Essas células] they can be an essential tool in preventing the extinction of species, by differentiating into cells similar to primordial germ cells”, explained the researchers.

Primordial germ cells, which give rise to sperm and eggs, are used in assisted reproductive technologies to increase populations of at-risk species. Embryonic stem cells, which can develop in multiple directions, are the gold standard for studying the functions of pluripotent stem cells. However, obtaining them from giant pandas is difficult, as some techniques for collecting eggs from live pandas are prohibited, and dead pandas often do not have viable eggs. The team’s new method could allow the creation of embryonic stem cells in the laboratory using iPSCs.

“This crucial advancement is an important step toward our ultimate goal of using [iPSCs de panda gigante] for the in vitro generation of gamete cells and embryos,” the researchers wrote. The team will continue trying to create “naïve” cells, which resemble pre-implantation cells, as they have a greater capacity for differentiation.

One of the challenges scientists faced was limited research into the characteristics of panda cells, which meant researchers had to start virtually from scratch. Zhang emphasized that the success was only possible thanks to years of continuous experiments. He also stated that the current approach to using this technology is “conservative” but can be applied when necessary, especially in small and endangered wild populations.

With information from the South China Morning Post*