Scientists have just turned giant panda skin cells into stem cells | Having this type of stem cell, which can be nudged into becoming any kind of cell in the body, could help researchers breed more giant pandas
Scientists have just turned giant panda skin cells into stem cells
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>Obtaining these panda sex cells has been difficult because the majority of the living panda population remains under strict protections that forbid typical egg extraction techniques, such as giving pandas medicine to make extra eggs in a cycle or retrieving eggs from ovaries. There are also too few pandas remaining to reliably source eggs from recently deceased animals.
>If scientists could generate sperm and egg cells from pandas in a noninvasive manner, such as turning these skin cells into stem cells and then germ cells, and use those to make new pandas, the team may be able to add genetic diversity to the animals that remain. Currently, there are 33 isolated populations, 15 of which are very close to extinction.
[Read more here](https://www.sciencenews.org/article/giant-panda-skin-cells-turned-stem-cells), and [read the study here](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn7724).
Honestly, they’re a doomed species, and a complete evolutionary dead end. They would have died out even without human presence. We’re literally fighting against natural selection. They’re cute, but we should just let them go quietly into the night.
Interesting but I fail to see how even larger Panda’s will help
I agree we should make them more giant. That would be even funnier.
Why don’t we put more effort to saving the planet as a whole?
Wow, this is incredible! It’s amazing to see how much scientific progress we’ve made in recent years. Hopefully, this breakthrough will help preserve and protect the giant panda population.
Never seen a species trying to go extinct so tenaciously as Giant Pandas. And we’re just biding their time.
Wow, this is really fascinating! It’s amazing to see how advancements in stem cell research are being applied to conservation efforts. I hope that these stem cells can lead to increased success in breeding giant pandas and ultimately help to save this endangered species. It’s inspiring to see scientists using their skills and knowledge to make a positive impact on the world.