Cryobanking of oocytes and ovarian tissue in cats and dogs

Cryobanking of female gametes has important potential applications in carnivores. The availability of cryostored oocytes or gonadal tissue, as reservoir of a large number of oocytes, would greatly improve assisted reproductive techniques aimed at ensuring the future survival of high genetic value individuals. Long-term storage of gametes would allow the planning of in vitro embryo production and transfer at proper time, that is, whenever male gametes and embryo recipients are available. It would also maintain genetic diversity that would otherwise be lost when an animal dies or is gonadectomized. This is particularly crucial in wild and rare species threatened by extinction or in domestic valuable breeds.