Chinese scientists hope panda stem cell breakthrough can help species survive
Researchers have created a type of self-renewing cell that could help future research and preserve vital genetic resources
The researchers from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health said their technique could overcome constraints on safeguarding the genetic diversity of pandas, and allow for more advanced research, including into their diseases.
There are an estimated 2,000 giant pandas in the wild, and like many other endangered species, they face threats to their survival through human activities such as logging and the creation of roads.
Although efforts to conserve the population through habitat protection and captive breeding have been effective, research has warned that some panda populations face an extinction risk of over 90 per cent, making it “imperative” to preserve panda genetic resources, according to the team.
The self-renewing cells, known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), can regenerate into many different cell types.
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Induced stem cells are made by taking body cells, for example from the skin and hair, and reprogramming them back into an embryonic-like state. This means they are able to act like early cells and become different types of tissues
