Scientists have achieved a groundbreaking feat by successfully producing kangaroo embryos through in vitro fertilization (IVF) for the first time. This development, led by researchers at the University of Queensland, Australia, holds significant promise for the conservation of endangered marsupial species.
The team employed intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a technique commonly used in human IVF, to create the eastern grey kangaroo embryos. ICSI involves injecting a single sperm directly into a mature egg. Dr. Andres Gambini, the lead researcher, explained that this technology could be instrumental in preserving genetic diversity among endangered marsupials, such as koalas, Tasmanian devils, and northern hairy-nosed wombats.
The researchers have produced over 20 embryos using ICSI to date, utilizing sperm and egg cells collected from kangaroos that had recently died at wildlife hospitals. The eastern grey kangaroo was chosen for this initial IVF trial due to the abundance of available genetic material. The species has a large population, with overabundance in certain areas.
Gambini highlighted that ICSI's advantage lies in its ability to work with limited live sperm cells, unlike other conservation breeding methods like artificial insemination. This is particularly relevant for species like koalas, where sperm functionality deteriorates after freezing. "We don't need millions of sperm alive, we just need a few of them," Gambini stated.
While the researchers have no immediate plans to produce live joeys from the IVF embryos, their focus is on refining the technology and understanding marsupial reproductive physiology. This knowledge will pave the way for applying the same technique to other endangered marsupial species.
The genetics from animals that have died from predation, disease, or car collisions can be preserved as frozen embryos, providing conservationists with opportunities to introduce genetic diversity into ecosystems. "We need genetic variability in a population to guarantee that population to survive over time and to be able to adapt to the environment," Gambini emphasized.
John Rodger, an emeritus professor at the University of Newcastle and a marsupial reproduction expert, lauded the researchers' achievement, stating that they have "for the first time, with a marsupial, have demonstrated what looks to be really promising progress" in IVF. He highlighted the challenges faced by previous attempts at IVF in Australian marsupials, which had been unsuccessful for nearly 30 years.
Rodger also emphasized the need for a national facility for biobanking genetic samples from Australian marsupials, noting the absence of such a facility despite the existence of similar facilities for plant diversity and laboratory animals.