The transportation of embryos obtained from animal models, endangered
species and nondomestic farmed animals (e.g., deer) can reduce/elimina
te the need for;shipping postnatal animals and thus has gained the int
erest of the biomedical and conservation fields. Efficient movement of
germ plasm worldwide requires established cryobanks. Embryo cryoprese
rvation has become a routinely successful technology for many species
and efforts to develop usable cryobanks for many target species are on
going. Recommended regulations for the movement of embryos from nontra
ditional (i.e. other than domestic livestock) species are nonexistent.
Efforts are underway to establish domestic and international handling
guidelines and to recommend suitable quarantine conditions to facilit
ate embryo importation. Further basic research on specific zona pelluc
ida-pathogen interactions is encouraged to support embryo movement eff
orts.