Skip to content

Protocols

How do I collect a sample that can be used for genetics?

We hope to make the process of collecting biospecimens and their metadata a more uniform process among zoos. That said, sample collection protocols may vary depending on the purpose of the sample and where it is being sent. Inquiries related to the collection, shipment, or requests of samples for a particular biobank should be directed to the biobank (see our Biobank Contacts page).

Protocols for collecting biospecimens for…

Cryopreservation of living cells

Revive and Restore is a wildlife conservation organization that uses new techniques in biotechnology and genetic rescue to support biodiversity. With the goal of promoting cryopreservation of living cells, they created three detailed protocols explaining how to prepare, collect, preserve and transport tissues for biobanking living cells:

  1. Organ Biopsy (post-mortem)
  2. Skin Biopsy (non-lethal)
  3. Reproductive Tissue Collection (post-mortem)

High molecular weight DNA

As of 2024, the current “gold standard” for sampling to sequence full, end-to-end vertebrate genomes is to collect biomaterials that will produce high molecular weight DNA (i.e., non-degraded DNA). The Vertebrate Genome Lab has developed protocols for collecting biomaterials across vertebrate species for high molecular weight DNA. These include:

  1. Tissue collection
  2. Mammal blood
  3. Living Cells
  4. Nucleated blood

See their protocols here.

Other Protocols

The EAZA Biobank provides protocols and information for general considerations for specimen collection, such as general sampling, post-mortem considerations, sampling from groups or colonies, sharing sample data, and storage and shipping. See their guidelines:

EAZA Biobank Sampling Protocol (opens as pdf)

Marlys Houck at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and colleagues have published detailed protocols for collecting and cryopreserving various biomaterials across taxa for the purpose of cell culture (Houck, ML, Lear TL, and Charter SJ. “Animal cytogenetics.” The AGT Cytogenetics Laboratory Manual (2017): 1055-1102.

The published protocols include:

  1. Blood feather (feathers just beginning to emerge)
  2. Avian lymphocyte collection
  3. Lymphocyte culture from whole blood
  4. Lymphocyte culture using autologous plasma/buffy coat
  5. Horse lymphocyte culture method
  6. Rhino blood culture
  7. Organ tissue collection from carcass
  8. Placenta biopsy procedure
  9. Freezing of fibroblast cell cultures
  10. Freezing tissue biopsy samples for later initiation of cell culture (tissue piecing)
  11. Preparation of primary cultures from feather pulp
  12. Preparation of primary cultures from solid tissue (explants)
  13. Preparation of primary cultures using enzyme digestion
  14. Harvesting of fibroblast cell cultures