Long-term production of donor-derived offspring from chicken ovarian transplants

A surgical technique for orthotopic transplantation of ovarian tissue was recently developed for chickens, and short-term production of donor-derived offspring from the transplants was demonstrated. The present study evaluated the long-term reproductive function of the transplanted ovaries. In addition, ovarian tissue was transplanted into chicks from eggs that had been treated with busulfan (BU) after 24 h of incubation to reduce the growth of host germ cells. The success rate of ovarian transplantation was not different between BU- and non-BU-treated birds, but the ratio of donor-derived to host-derived offspring was significantly higher in the BU-treated birds. Over the 18-mo period each successfully transplanted hen produced up to 396 eggs with between 50 to 98% of donor-derived progeny. These results demonstrate that when transplanted ovaries attach and develop they can maintain their reproductive function for an extended period of time. These transplantation techniques provide a unique opportunity for development of a practical, efficient protocol for the cryopreservation of germplasm of chickens and may provide an opportunity for regenerating populations of wild birds.