China has built world's largest somatic cell bank of domestic animal and poultry genetic resources in Beijing. It finely preserves 21,417 somatic cell samples of 43 important endangered domestic animal and poultry species and six wild animal species. At the same time, this bank has also set up two technical platforms for inspections with biological characteristics of cells to develop new channels for collection, processing, preservation and utilization of domestic animal and poultry germplasm resources.
The Institute of Animal Sciences affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences revealed that this somatic cell bank is not only systematic and effective, but also offers the most valuable "materials" for research of life sciences by way of vitro cultured cells.
Based on experts' recent appraisal, this cell bank is so far the largest for domestic animal and poultry germplasm resources preservation on a cellular basis at both home and abroad, and has met internationally advanced standards.
In recent years, due to constant deterioration of ecological environment, introduction of foreign animal and poultry species, and intensive culture, many of China's excellent local domestic animal and poultry species have become extinct or endangered. This indicates that fundamental materials for cellular and molecular biological researches will disappear forever. In an era of globalized researches on biological resources and protection of biological diversity, Chinese scientists should construct cell banks of important endangered domestic animal and poultry species and colonies to preserve their genetic resources.
(Chinanews.cn April 17, 2006)
