Stem Cells in Animal Species: From Pre-clinic to Biodiversity

In recent years, many limits to stem cell research s reliance on murine models have become evident. Regenerative medicine however, requires solid intermediate models where the results obtained in the mouse can be translated and assessed carefully in order to safely apply them to the human. Divided into three parts, Stem Cells in Animals: Pre-clinic to Biodiversity focuses on stem cells in non-murine species. The first part presents an overview of the different pre-clinical models recently created in other, non-murine animal species including the porcine model for heart failure, iPSC in large animal species, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and canine embryo-derived stem cells and modeling for human diseases. The second part of the book describes the recent efforts to use stem cells for preserving endangered species including the snow leopard, the rhino and coral reefs. From this perspective, stem cells are an invaluable tool in the preservation of biodiversities. Frozen cells and gametes can be obtained from animals at risk of extinction as well as from microorganisms and corals suffering from pollution and heavy changes in the eco-system. This may allow the generation of stem cell lines and represents an exciting opportunity to support and ensure the conservation of precious varieties of living creatures. This discussion leads easily into the third section which discusses stem cell banking as a way of safeguarding these endangered species.