Osaka Metropolitan University, Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Laboratory animal science (Takehito Kaneko)
Professor: Takehito Kaneko Ph.D takekaneko5(at)gmail.com
Research
Reproductive technologies in wild animals.
We are applying reproductive technologies to the conservation of endangered species. We have preserved sperm (freeze-dryinf and freezing) from approximately 70 wild animal species, including endangered species such as the Okinawa Rail, Steller's Sea Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Tsushima Wildcat, and Amami Rabbit.
Major publications:
１．Sperm preservation by freeze-drying for the conservation of wild animals. PLoS One. 9: e113381, 2014.
Reproductive technologies in animals
Sperm freeze-drying
We developed a new preservation method of rat/mouse sperm by using FREEZE-DRYING. Liquid nitrogen is no longer necessary for sperm preservation. An advantage of freeze-drying sperm is that it can be stored at 4°C and transported at room temperature. We showed that the fertility of freeze-dried sperm was maintained for 3-5 years without deterioration. Offspring with normal fertility were generated from oocytes fertilized with sperm freeze-dried in Tris-EDTA buffer.
Furthermore, freeze-dried samples can be temporarily stored at room temperature even in the event of a power failure, interruption to the liquid nitrogen supply or other emergencies by disaster such as earthquakes and typhoons. Freeze-drying process provides a safe and economical preservation of valuable animal strains, and provides us with a new method of sperm preservation for bio-banking.
Major publications:
1. Kaneko T. Simple sperm preservation by freeze-drying for conserving animal strains. Methods Mol Biol. 1239: 317-329, 2015.
2. Kaneko T, Serikawa T. Successful long-term preservation of rat sperm by freeze-drying. PLoS One 7: e35043, 2012.
3. Kaneko T, Serikawa T. Long-term preservation of freeze-dried mouse spermatozoa. Cryobiology 64: 211-214, 2012.
Embryo electroporation (TAKE method)
Technique for animal knockout system by electroporation (TAKE) method is a simple and effective technology that produces genetically modified animals by introducing endonuclease mRNAs into intact embryos using electroporation. Using TAKE method and CRISPR/Cas system, knockout and knock-in mice and rats can be produced.
Major publications:
1. Kaneko T. Genome Editing in mouse and rat by electroporation. Methods Mol Biol. 2637:125-134, 2023.
2. Kaneko T, Mashimo T. Simple genome editing of rodent intact embryos by electroporation. PLoS One 10: e0142755, 2015.
3. Kaneko T, Sakuma T, Yamamoto T, Mashimo T. Simple knockout by electroporation of engineered endonucleases into intact rat embryos. Scientific Reports, 4:6382, 2014
Artificial pseudopregnancy（EGET）
Embryo transfer has been used for production of new animal strains. Mating with vasectomised males is
a requirement for inducing pseudopregnancy in female mice and rats. We develped to induce
pseudopregnancy in females by artificial stimulation using sonic vibration instead of vasectomised
males. This method, ‘EGET’, was useful for efficient production and maintenance of mouse and rat strains.
Majour publications:
Successful induction of pseudopregnancy using sonic vibration in mice. Sci Rep. 13: 3604, 2023.
Successful pseudopregnancy of rats by short period artificial stimulation using sonic vibration. Sci Rep. 12: 1187, 2022.
Simple induction of pseudopregnancy by artificial stimulation using a sonic vibration in rats. Sci Rep. 10: 2729, 2020.