Resumen: Multitud de especies se encuentran en graves dificultades para mantener poblaciones viables en libertad, siendo éste el caso del lince ibérico, el felino más amenazado del planeta. A pesar de los esfuerzos para su conservación en su medio natural los censos poblacionales indican un descenso en el número de individuos. Es urgente, por tanto, poner en marcha una herramienta dirigida a la conservación ex situ, tratando de almacenar un máximo de diversidad genética en un banco de recursos genéticos disponible para uso en el futuro mediante tecnologías reproductivas. Se recogieron explantes de tejidos, tanto de necropsias como de biopsias, y se enviaron al laboratorio mediante un dispositivo eficaz de aislamiento térmico. Parte del tejido se congeló y el resto se procesó para su incubación, criopreservando las células obtenidas. Explantes y fibroblastos se conservan almacenados en nitrógeno líquido. Se utilizaron como modelo tejidos de lince rojo y lince boreal. Se congelaron células de 2 linces rojos, que iniciaron cultivo tras 9 meses criopreservadas, y de 7 linces boreales, congelando células en el 57% de los casos. Se obtuvieron biomateriales de 13 linces ibéricos: 7 biopsias, de las que se congelaron células del 86% de los individuos, y 6 necropsias, de las que se congelaron tejidos en todos ellos (100%) y células del 67% de los casos. El éxito en la obtención de células vivas a partir de biopsias y de necropsias pone de manifiesto el inestimable valor del rescate de estos biomateriales, permitiendo la conservación de estos genotipos para uso futuro.

Palabras clave: banco recursos genéticos, criopreservación, explantes, fibroblastos, lince ibérico.

Abstract: Many species face considerable difficulties in maintaining viable populations under natural conditions. This is the case of the Iberian lynx, the most endangered felid in the world. Despite substantial conservation efforts in its natural habitat, the population size is decreasing. Thus, ex-situ conservation strategies must be implemented, aimed at preserving the maximum genetic variation through conserving biomaterials in a genetic resource bank, and the future use of these materials by means of reproductive biotechnologies. We obtained tissue explants from biopsies and necropsies, and transported them to the laboratory under thermal isolation. Part of the tissue was cryopreserved and the rest was incubated to collect and cryopreserve fibroblasts. Tissue samples and fibroblasts are currently cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen. We used skin samples from bobcats and Eurasian lynxes as models. Tissue and cells from 2 bobcats were cryopreserved and viable cells were recovered after being preserved for 9 months. Skin samples were biopsied from 7 Eurasian lynxes and cells were preserved from 57% of the animals; the main problem encountered was contamination during sample collection and transport. Biomaterials from 13 Iberian lynxes were obtained (7 biopsies, 6 necropsies). Cells were obtained and cryopreserved from 86% of biopsies. Regarding necropsy tissue, samples were cryopreserved for all individuals (100%), and cells from 67% of them. The successful cryopreservation of tissue and cells from live and dead lynxes highlights the advantages of rescuing these genotypes and the potential use of these biomaterials.

Keywords: cryopreservation, genetic resource banks, Iberian lynx, skin samples fibroblasts.

DOI: 10.7325/Galemys.2007.NE.A1