Rhinos

This is the first time that primordial germ cells of a large, endangered mammalian species have been successfully generated from stem cells, ...

As explained by Dr Vera Zywitza, from Diecke’s research group, “The primordial cells are relatively small compared to matured germ cells and, most importantly, still have a double set of chromosomes. The newly derived northern white rhino PGCs originated from the skin cells of Fatu’s aunt, Nabire, who died in 2015 at Safari Park Dvůr Králové in the Czech Republic. In the case of the northern white rhinoceros, Hayashi is working in close cooperation with Dr Sebastian Diecke’s Pluripotent Stem Cells Technology Platform at the Max Delbrück Center and with reproduction expert Professor Thomas Hildebrandt from Leibniz-IZW. The team have now reported the creation of primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLSs) from induced pluripotent stem cells — said to be a world-first in large mammals. To this end, the scientists are pursuing two strategies — one of them trying to generate viable sperm and eggs from the skin cells of deceased rhinos. The southern white rhino embryonic stem cells being used in Japan come from the Avantea laboratory in Italy, where they were grown by Professor Cesare Galli’s team.