Sydney, Feb 6 (IANS): Australian scientists have successfully produced the first kangaroo embryos through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in a major breakthrough for conservation efforts.
In a study published on Thursday, the team led by researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ) detailed how they produced the eastern gray kangaroo embryos by injecting sperm into a mature egg, a process commonly used in human IVF called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Lead researcher Andres Gambini said that the groundbreaking achievement could support the conservation of Australia's endangered iconic marsupials, including koalas, wombats, possums and Tasmanian devils.
"We aim to safeguard the genetic material of these unique and precious animals for future use to ensure their conservation," he said in a media release.
"While it's difficult to provide an exact timeline, with sustained collaboration, funding and continued technical advancements, we are hopeful the birth of a marsupial through IVF could become a reality within a decade."
Eastern gray kangaroos were chosen as the subject of the research because of their overabundance.
Unlike artificial insemination, ICSI does not require abundant live sperm cells, with only one being injected directly into the egg.
Gambini said that the team is now refining techniques to collect, culture and preserve marsupial eggs and sperm, Xinhua news agency reported.
In 2022, the Australian government unveiled a decade-long initiative aimed at preventing additional extinctions. This plan encompasses strategies to conserve over 30 per cent of the nation's land area and to safeguard 110 priority species throughout the country.
A 2023 report from the non-profit organisation Australian Conservation Foundation indicates that over 2,200 species and ecosystems in Australia are currently recognised as being at risk of extinction.
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is one of several techniques available to help people with fertility problems have a baby. During IVF, an egg is removed from the woman's ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised egg, called an embryo, is then returned to the woman's womb to grow and develop.