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Article

Transplantation of Tissue from Native and Cryopreserved Pekin Duck Ovaries to Mulard Ducks with Study of Hormonal Changes After Grafting

1
National Centre for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation, Institute for Farm Animal Conservation, H-2100 Godollo, Hungary
2
Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Szent István Campus, H-2100 Godollo, Hungary
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2025, 15(16), 2401; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15162401
Submission received: 24 June 2025 / Revised: 8 August 2025 / Accepted: 14 August 2025 / Published: 15 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Animal Reproduction)

Simple Summary

Specialized methods are required to preserve female genetic material in bird gene conservation. By transplanting the ovarian tissue of an indigenous breed into a recipient, 100% of the donor genotype can be regained. Sterile recipients can be used to ensure that offspring is derived from the donor ovary. This study focuses on whether the Mulard duck, a sterile hybrid, can act as a recipient for ovarian tissue from Pekin ducks. Three experiments were conducted. In the first, fresh ovarian tissue was transplanted into Mulard ducks. About 40% of the tissue attached, 50% of which showed early signs of egg development. In the second experiment, frozen (cryopreserved) tissue was used; 66% of the tissue attached, 33% of which showed development. Some ducks ovulated, but the eggs did not move into the oviduct. The third experiment tested a hormone treatment to boost egg development. In this case, 31% of the tissue attached, 25% of which showed early development. Hormone levels were elevated when tissue was attached, but the treatment did not make a difference. We conclude that Mulard ducks could be useful for preserving duck breeds through ovarian transplantation. However, more research is needed to better control the hormones involved in egg-laying.

Abstract

Orthotopic transplantation of ovarian tissue at one day of age is a promising solution for preserving female genetic material in avian species; using sterile recipients can ensure that all offspring are donor-derived. This study focuses on the suitability of the Mulard duck as a sterile recipient for Pekin duck donors and provides an investigation of the hormonal background. Firstly, native Pekin ovarian tissue was grafted into Mulard duck recipients, resulting in a 40% adhesion rate and follicular development in 50% of the adhered grafts. Secondly, the transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue resulted in a 66% adhesion rate, with 33% of the adhered grafts showing follicular development. Ovulation occurred in 16% of the recipients with adhered grafts, but the eggs did not move into the oviduct. Estrogen levels were elevated in the recipients with adherence but were lower than in the control Pekin group, while progesterone levels remained unchanged. Consequently, recipients received buserelin acetate, a GnRH analogue, to stimulate follicular and oviductal activity. In this group, graft adhesion occurred in 31% of animals, and primordial follicle development in 25%. The hormonal levels of the recipients with adhered ovaries were elevated, but the GnRH analogue treatment did not affect the ovulation process. We conclude that while the Mulard duck shows potential as a sterile recipient in ovarian transplantation, several questions remain unanswered regarding the adequacy of follicular maturation and ovulation.
Keywords: gonadal tissue transplantation; Mulard duck; gene conservation gonadal tissue transplantation; Mulard duck; gene conservation

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MDPI and ACS Style

Buda, K.; Vegi, B.; Varadi, E.K.; Drobnyak, A.; Török, E.; Szabo, Z.; Babarczi, B.; Lehoczky, I.; Liptoi, K. Transplantation of Tissue from Native and Cryopreserved Pekin Duck Ovaries to Mulard Ducks with Study of Hormonal Changes After Grafting. Animals 2025, 15, 2401. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15162401

AMA Style

Buda K, Vegi B, Varadi EK, Drobnyak A, Török E, Szabo Z, Babarczi B, Lehoczky I, Liptoi K. Transplantation of Tissue from Native and Cryopreserved Pekin Duck Ovaries to Mulard Ducks with Study of Hormonal Changes After Grafting. Animals. 2025; 15(16):2401. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15162401

Chicago/Turabian Style

Buda, Kitti, Barbara Vegi, Eva Kissne Varadi, Arpad Drobnyak, Eva Török, Zsuzsa Szabo, Bianka Babarczi, Istvan Lehoczky, and Krisztina Liptoi. 2025. "Transplantation of Tissue from Native and Cryopreserved Pekin Duck Ovaries to Mulard Ducks with Study of Hormonal Changes After Grafting" Animals 15, no. 16: 2401. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15162401

APA Style

Buda, K., Vegi, B., Varadi, E. K., Drobnyak, A., Török, E., Szabo, Z., Babarczi, B., Lehoczky, I., & Liptoi, K. (2025). Transplantation of Tissue from Native and Cryopreserved Pekin Duck Ovaries to Mulard Ducks with Study of Hormonal Changes After Grafting. Animals, 15(16), 2401. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15162401

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