Dr. Anna Maria Duszewska

Professor
Division of Histology and Embryology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Speech Title: Cryopreservation for biodiversity protection of Wisent (Bison bonasus)

Abstract: Cryobiology gives new perspectives in the protection of the Wisent - European bison (Bison bonasus) which is an endangered species. Cryobiology enables the preservation of germplasm, i.e. genetic material in the form of mature and immature oocytes, spermatozoa, embryos, somatic cells, fragments of tissues, organs and blood. We collect sperm from the epididymis of wisent males and then freeze them (sperm bank). We recover ovaries from wisent females, from which we isolate oocytes and ovarian tissue for their cryopreservation (oocyte and somatic cell banks). Some isolated immature oocytes are matured in vitro and then fertilized in vitro with thawed spermatozoa to obtain embryos. The embryos are cultured in vitro to morula and blastocyst stages and then cryopreserved (embryo bank), subsequently thawed embryos are transferred to recipients to obtain offspring. Primary cell lines are derived from tissue fragments, which are frozen (cell bank). Some of these cells are thawed to obtain induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) from which gametes can potentially be obtained. Financed by the Forests Fund (Poland) - OR.271.3.10.2017.