Researchers Generate Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Endangered Zebra

Researchers in Japan have successfully produced stem cells from an endangered zebra using human reprogramming factors, with subsequent analysis identifying key genes that are also found in human and mouse cells. The findings provide insight into evolutionary conservation between mammals.

Mammalian stem cells have drawn interest from researchers for their ability to change into multiple cell types, such as skin, muscle, egg and sperm. Pluripotent stem cells have the capacity for unlimited self-renewal and differentiation into any type of cell. Despite their potential to help researchers understand the genome, few studies have investigated pluripotent stem cells from endangered species.

Using human reprogramming factors that tell differentiated cells to revert back to their stem cell state, a team from Kyoto University’s Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) and Wildlife Research Centre were able to produce and analyze induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from the skin cells of Grévy’s zebra.

The iPSCs were grown using the same methods as human iPSCs and demonstrated the potential to differentiate into different cell types. The zebra iPSCs also exhibited characteristics similar to other mammalian iPSCs, such as their appearance, doubling rate and method of forming colonies. These similarities suggest that Grévy’s zebra iPSCs are good candidates to scale up for future research using similar methods as human iPSCs.

The researchers then performed RNA sequencing analyses to better understand and characterize the cells. By examining the genes that were turned on in the zebra iPSCs, the scientists were able to identify key genes associated with pluripotency and cell adhesion that are also present in human and mouse stem cells, showing remarkable genetic conservation between these mammalian species.

The successful production of the zebra iPSCs could provide resources for functional research and artificial reproduction of the endangered species. Going forward, the researchers would like to compare the zebra iPSCs with other species to better understand the differences and similarities between mammalian pluripotent stem cells. “We would like to explore how to differentiate Grévy’s zebra iPSCs into other cells. This could provide new options for saving this species,” says Ken-ichiro Kamei of the iCeMS.

Grévy’s zebras are on Red List of Threatened Species. The findings were published in the journal Stem Cells and Development.