Reproductive Tissue Banking

Using examples drawn from reproductive technologies, this work presents the scientific principles underlying tissue banking. It discusses in vitro preservation of spermatozoa, oocytes, embryos, and gonadal tissues of mammals. It also covers ethical considerations with a discussion of the splitting of embryos to the protection of biodiversity.

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Reproductive technologies to assist in both human conception and animal breeding are increasingly in demand. These technologies, along with the advent of tissue engineering, have propelled the challenges of tissue collection, preservation, and banking to the research forefront. Using examples drawn from reproductive technologies, Reproductive Tissue Banking presents the scientific principles underlying tissue banking. These examples serve as models for the technology of banking other living tissues, including blood, bone marrow, cornea, and skin. In discussing research emerging from their laboratories and those of others, the authors meld fundamentals of biology, chemistry, and physics with the latest discoveries in the field to give the reader profound insight into research directions and ethical considerations crucial to the advancement of tissue banking.
With its emphasis on human applications and concerns, this book provides a valuable supplement to short courses on tissue preservation and tissue engineering. Researchers in reproductive medicine, animal and veterinary science, and cryobiology will find this book, with its extensive bibliography, a very handy reference.