Techniques for preservation of mammalian germ plasm

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Abstract
The preservation of mammalian germ plasm by freezing has become an integral part of animal breeding, medicine, agriculture, reproductive biology and embryology. Considerable understanding of the physical‐chemical and physiological phenomena involved in cryopreservation of sperm, eggs and embryos has been achieved. This understanding has resulted in substantial improvements in the efficiency and efficacy of methods used to cryopreserve germ plasm. In addition, many of these methods have become integrated directly into the practice of animal breeding, and have contributed directly to the international trade in animal genetics. Development of these methods has been derived from close cooperation and interaction between the research and industrial communities. As the powerful techniques of molecular biology are focused on fundamental and applied aspects of embryology and reproductive biology, there are new problems regarding the cryobiology of germ cells to be solved.