Editing Somatic cell (section)

== Biobanking ==
Somatic cells have also been collected in the practice of biobanking. The [[cryoconservation of animal genetic resources]] is a means of conserving animal genetic material in response to decreasing ecological biodiversity.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bolton |first=Rhiannon L |last2=Mooney |first2=Andrew |last3=Pettit |first3=Matt T |last4=Bolton |first4=Anthony E |last5=Morgan |first5=Lucy |last6=Drake |first6=Gabby J |last7=Appeltant |first7=Ruth |last8=Walker |first8=Susan L |last9=Gillis |first9=James D |last10=Hvilsom |first10=Christina |date=2022-07-01 |title=Resurrecting biodiversity: advanced assisted reproductive technologies and biobanking |url=https://raf.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/raf/3/3/RAF-22-0005.xml |journal=Reproduction and Fertility |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=R121–R146 |doi=10.1530/RAF-22-0005 |issn=2633-8386 |pmc=9346332 |pmid=35928671}}</ref> As populations of living organisms fall so does their genetic diversity. This places species long-term survivability at risk. Biobanking aims to preserve biologically viable cells through long-term storage for later use. Somatic cells have been stored with the hopes that they can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which can then differentiate into viable reproductive cells.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sun |first=Yanyan |last2=Li |first2=Yunlei |last3=Zong |first3=Yunhe |last4=Mehaisen |first4=Gamal M. K. |last5=Chen |first5=Jilan |date=2022-10-09 |title=Poultry genetic heritage cryopreservation and reconstruction: advancement and future challenges |journal=Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology |language=en |volume=13 |issue=1 |page=115 |doi=10.1186/s40104-022-00768-2 |issn=2049-1891 |pmc=9549680 |pmid=36210477 |doi-access=free}}</ref>