Sciences.com: Avian cryopreservation. CRYOCHICK Project. We talk to Berenice Bernal Juarez.

2023-12-04 17:04:40

Preserving cells, tissues, organs or any other biological component by freezing them at extremely low temperatures allows long-term preservation of cellular structure and function. This process, called cryopreservation, consists of maintaining the biological material at the temperatures of liquid nitrogen, at -196°C. It is possible thanks to the use of substances known as cryoprotectants, which prevent the formation of ice crystals that could damage or destroy cells. At these temperatures, all metabolic activities stop completely, allowing long-term cell structure and function to be preserved.

Cryopreservation of gametes, that is, sperm and eggs, is commonly used in humans and many other animals and plants. However, the effectiveness of the technique can vary significantly between species. In some cases, such as birds, egg cryopreservation remains a considerable challenge.

An area of ​​particular interest is the application of the conservation of chicken sperm and eggs, a species that has been taken as a model for the development of cryopreservation protocols for other oviparous species such as turkey, duck, flamingos, penguins and even turtles.

Our guest on “Talking with Scientists”, Berenice Bernal Juárez, a Marie-Curie postdoctoral researcher at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, works on the CRYOCHICK project, an initiative of the European Union that seeks to advance the field of cryopreservation of chicken reproductive material with the aim of looking for alternatives that allow conserving this and other bird species.

Chicken sperm, due to their threadlike structure and very little cytoplasm around the nucleus, are especially sensitive to the freezing process, says Berenice. On the other hand, chicken eggs, which are the eggs we usually consume, are too large to be frozen successfully. To overcome these drawbacks, primordial cells that exist in bird embryos and that subsequently differentiate to become sperm and eggs are used.

The CRYOCHICK project focuses on overcoming these challenges through research and development of new cryopreservation techniques for chicken eggs. This project seeks to improve post-thaw survival and viability rates, which could have a significant impact on the conservation of different varieties and the poultry industry. International collaboration is a key component of the project, uniting experts from the Netherlands Center for Genetic Resources (CGN) in collaboration with the National Center for Biodiversity and Gene Preservation in Hungary, the Roslin Institute in Scotland and Cobb Europe .

I invite you to listen to Berenice Bernal Juárez, Marie-Curie postdoctoral researcher at Wageningen University and head of the CRYOCHICK Project.