The discovery that koala sperm is exceptionally long - lasting at 5ºC ( 41ºF ) marks an crucial step to save the genetic diversity of the dear marsupial . It also has scientists pondering why koala spermatozoan is so strange .
Although native bear are overpopulated in some areas , eat on their pet trees plain , across most of their range they are struggling through a compounding of disforestation , disease , and being killed by cars and frankfurter . Under such circumstances , preservation organizations and wildlife parks are struggle to maintain their genetic diversity .
In other species , genic health can be preserved by freeze seed and using it to fertilise appropriate females . However , according to University of Queensland PhD educatee Bridie Schultz , marsupial sperm , in ecumenical , does not recuperate well after freezing , and koala sperm is particularly bad .
Bridie Schultz with two jejune study subject . University of Queensland
However , some class ago , in an chance event reminiscent of Fleming ’s discovery ofPenicillin , a researcher left a vial of koala semen out overnight . “ The next morning he noticed that the spermatozoan were still swimming , ” Schultz recount IFLScience , raising Bob Hope for their viability .
Schultz narrowly escape the rearing season , so has yet to try inseminating a female koala . However , she has used a turn of test for sperm cell viability , including DNA atomisation , mitochondrial membrane potential ( which watch how much energy sperm have to drown ) , and the state of theiracrosomes .
Even after 45 day the sperm just keep swimming , showing every signaling of being ready to do their work .
“ This distance of chilled storage well exceeds the capacity of any other make love mammalian sperm to survive outside the body without cryopreservation ( freezing ) , ” Schultz said in astatement . “ It has only been done in two fish species – rainbow trout and halibut . ”
Quite why koala sperm lasts so long at cool , but above freeze , temperatures , is not yet recognize . Schultz told IFLScience “ we ’ve acquire a couple of theory , ” but rules out their eucalyptus oil dieting acting as a preservative .
The work has many potential covering , including reach research easier . Schultz has demonstrated it even applies to sperm cell extracted from the bollock of koalas recently killed in elevator car accidents . It should also help upkeep of koala populations in external zoo , where it is much easier to fly over some chill spermatozoon than a crabbed male koala ( non - grumpy male koalas not really existing ) .
However , potentially the most important aspect of Schultz ’s findings lies in the potential to help related to mintage . So far no other pouched mammal sperm has shown the same longevity , but few have been screen in depth . “ We ’re really acute to try it withhairy - nosed wombatsperm , ” Schultz told IFLScience . “ And we also need to depend atquolls . ”
canvas the semen ofPhascolarctos cinereusis , Schultz admitted to IFLScience , “ a niche marketplace . ” However , she explain : “ I always wanted to work in brute reproduction , but there was n’t a trend , so I study human IVF and then got called by the University of Queensland and told they had a koala project . ” Living the dream .
You did n’t think we were going to deprive you of another photo of the ultimate outcome of this research , did you?Apple2499 / Shutterstock
