In Australia, for the first time, kangaroo embryos were obtained using IVF (2 photos)

A team of scientists produced more than 20 embryos using a method used to artificially inseminate women.





Australian scientists from the University of Queensland have produced kangaroo embryos for the first time using in vitro fertilization (IVF). The researchers hope that the discovery will help preserve the endangered animal population.

The scientists created eastern gray kangaroo embryos using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a method widely used in IVF for women. The procedure involves injecting a sperm into a mature egg.

Dr Andres Gambini, who led the research, said the technique could be used to preserve the genetic diversity of endangered marsupials such as koalas, Tasmanian devils and northern hairy-nosed wombats.

To date, the team has produced more than 20 embryos using ICSI, Gambini said. Biological material from male and female specimens was collected from recently deceased kangaroos. The scientist also noted that the experiment was carried out on eastern grey kangaroos, as their population is high and in some areas there is even an overabundance of animals.

ICSI does not require a large number of live sperm, which is typical for other methods of preserving offspring, such as artificial insemination. The problem is that sperm don’t function as well after being frozen. “We don’t need millions of live sperm, we just need a few of the most active ones,” Gambini said.



He added that there are no plans to produce live kangaroos from IVF embryos, given the abundance of the species. “Our next step is to start mastering the technology, to better understand the reproductive physiology, so that we can move on to applying the same technology to other marsupials,” he said.

The team hopes that the genetics of animals that died from predation, disease or car accidents could be preserved as frozen embryos. “We need genetic variation in a population to ensure that the population will survive over time and be able to adapt to its environment,” Gambini said.

The scientist explained that IVF for animals would be “just another tool in our conservation toolbox” for their population, along with strategies such as monitoring, controlling the animals’ reproduction, and protecting their habitat.