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Review: Progress in producing chimeric ungulate livestock for agricultural applications

Authors :
Alba V. Ledesma
Maci L. Mueller
Alison L. Van Eenennaam
Source :
Animal, Vol 17, Iss , Pp 100803- (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
Elsevier, 2023.

Abstract

The progress made in recent years in the derivation and culture of pluripotent stem cells from farm animals opens up the possibility of creating livestock chimeras. Chimeras producing gametes exclusively derived from elite donor stem cells could pass superior genetics on to the next generation and thereby reduce the genetic lag that typically exists between the elite breeding sector and the commercial production sector, especially for industries like beef and sheep where genetics is commonly disseminated through natural service mating. Chimeras carrying germ cells generated from genome-edited or genetically engineered pluripotent stem cells could further disseminate useful genomic alterations such as climate adaptation, animal welfare improvements, the repair of deleterious genetic conditions, and/or the elimination of undesired traits such as disease susceptibility to the next generation. Despite the successful production of chimeras with germ cells generated from pluripotent donor stem cells injected into preimplantation-stage blastocysts in model species, there are no documented cases of this occurring in livestock. Here, we review the literature on the derivation of pluripotent stem cells from ungulates, and progress in the production of chimeric ungulate livestock for agricultural applications, drawing on insights from studies done in model species, and discuss future possibilities of this fast-moving and developing field. Aside from the technical aspects, the consistency of the regulatory approach taken by different jurisdictions towards chimeric ungulate livestock with germ cells generated from pluripotent stem cells and their progeny will be an important determinant of breeding industry uptake and adoption in animal agriculture.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
17517311
Volume :
17
Issue :
100803-
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Animal
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.b88324decc1b44b7aa5e62a651b65599
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2023.100803