Male giant panda An An (left) and female giant panda Ke Ke gifted to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Photo: China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda

For the first time, Chinese scientists have cultivated stem cells of giant pandas which is expected to offer materials for panda characteristics research as well as treatment for diseases without hurting any giant panda, the Global Times learned from the team on Tuesday.   

It also lays the groundwork for cultivating giant panda embryos in labs, showing the potential of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) technology in aiding endangered species conservation, the scientists said. 

The study was jointly conducted by scientists from the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academies of Sciences and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. It was published in scientific journal Science Advances on Friday. 

According to Liu Jing, a corresponding author of the study, the scientists isolated primary fibroblast cells from cell samples taken from a female giant panda and a male giant panda in the Chengdu base. They then generated giant panda iPSCs (GPiPSCs) using a non-integrating episomal vector reprogramming method. 

The study revealed that the GPiPSCs exhibit the capability to differentiate into various cell types, marking a notable contribution to the repertoire of resources for basic research on giant pandas and clinical treatment of giant panda diseases, read the study. 

In the future, Liu said the GPiPSCs can be used to cultivate functional cells and organs of giant pandas for clinical disease treatment as well as pathological and physiological research of giant pandas. It can also be used to produce sperms and eggs of giant pandas for external fertilization.

The GPiPSCs can also be used to produce giant panda embryos in labs. "We hope someday these embryos can be used to reproduce giant panda babies via surrogacy. But there is still a long way to go as this is the first time the iPSC technology has been applied in giant pandas," Liu noted. 

China has yielded remarkable outcomes in the protection of giant pandas and their habitats. The number of wild giant pandas increased from around 1,100 in the 1980s to nearly 1,900 currently, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration announced in January.

But there still remains some difficulties and challenges in the conservation of the animal. For example, female pandas are only fertile for two or three days a year, making it even more difficult for them to breed successfully. 

The technology of iPSCs has shown promising outcomes in the conservation of genetic resources and exploration of species characteristic for endangered species, according to the team.