State-of-the-Art and Prospective of Nanotechnologies for Smart Reproductive Management of Farm Animals.

Simple Summary: The present review aims to introduce current knowledge and prospective applications of nanotechnology for improving some of major applied assisted reproductive techniques (ART) in farm animals. Throughout the review, the raised question will be how nanotechnology, as a new emerging biotechnology, can be used to address the concept of smart reproductive management. The hypothesis will be discussed in the light of the few published studies in this field. This is in terms of leading the way for reproductive biologists to develop and innovate ART using nanotechnology scientific bases to maximize reproductive performance of farm animals, which finally serves the increasing consumer demand for animal products. Many biotechnological assisted reproductive techniques (ART) are currently used to control the reproductive processes of farm animals. Nowadays, smart ART that considers technique efficiency, animal welfare, cost efficiency and environmental health are developed. Recently, the nanotechnology revolution has pervaded all scientific fields including the reproduction of farm animals, facilitating certain improvements in this field. Nanotechnology could be used to improve and overcome many technical obstacles that face different ART. For example, semen purification and semen preservation processes have been developed using different nanomaterials and techniques, to obtain semen doses with high sperm quality. Additionally, nanodrugs delivery could be applied to fabricate several sex hormones (steroids or gonadotrophins) used in the manipulation of the reproductive cycle. Nanofabricated hormones have new specific biological properties, increasing their bioavailability. Applying nanodrugs delivery techniques allow a reduction in hormone dose and improves hormone kinetics in animal body, because of protection from natural biological barriers (e.g., enzymatic degradation). Additionally, biodegradable nanomaterials could be used to fabricate hormone-loaded devices that are made from non-degradable materials, such as silicon and polyvinyl chloride-based matrixes, which negatively impact environmental health. This review discusses the role of nanotechnology in developing some ART outcomes applied in the livestock sector, meeting the concept of smart production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]