Amphicell

Mission Statement

“Preservation of endangered species through the cryobanking of cultured and prospectively validated cells.”

Amphicell preserves validated cells from endangered Australian frog species in a frozen biobank.

Tissue samples are collected from animals either euthanised from sickness or injury or from which a small toe clipping has been collected by researchers. Researchers sometimes collect small toe clippings to track critical animals of a representative species in the wild.

Cells from these tissue samples are cultured and methods are developed that enable the cells to multiply. From one small sample, therefore, many cells can be collected. These cells are cryopreserved in the frozen biobank. A small representative aliquot is thawed after several months of cryopreservation for validation. Validation includes post-thaw culture expansion to further increase numbers and check cell behaviour. DNA analysis is also undertaken to demonstrate that the cells retain their overall normal chromosomal configuration.

Cells from the frozen biobank are provided to researchers for microsatellite mapping, genomic sequencing and reproductive technologies to help efforts preventing frogs from becoming extinct.

Please  Contact Us if you want to find out more.

Support

Amphicell thanks FNQ Cpap and Medical Gas for the kind provision of liquid nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen is required to achieve the cold temperatures that permit cryopreservation of these cells. Cells in liquid nitrogen are theoretically preserved “as new” for 100 000 years and will therefore be a very good resource to help prevent further extinctions in the immediate and foreseeable future.