**1. Introduction**

178 Current Frontiers in Cryopreservation

enhance the freezability rat epididymal sperm. *J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci*. 49, pp.

After the ratification of the international convention on the biodiversity in Rio, a National Cryobank was created in France in 1999 to preserve the genetic resources of domestic animals (www.cryobanque.org). Particular attention was carried on Oryctolagus cuniculus species with the extension of the national cryobanking to the rabbit (Joly et al., 1998). Nowadays, this tool is very useful for the management of animal diversity in France.

Cryopreservation corresponds of all the steps of collection and long term storage of animal populations, preserved as live cells and able to generate live animals.

Cryopreservation is not a museology action to freeze the products of the past. Contrary to that, it corresponds to the practical implementation of new biotechnologies of reproduction. It includes also all the technical means to maintain the evolutionary potential of population. So, the French National Cryobank was created to secure the biological material stored at - 196°C in liquid nitrogen. It constitutes a real tool to serve all stakeholders to manage the animal diversity as part of the National Charter supported by the Genetic Resources Office (www.fondationbiodiversite.fr).
