The world’s first cloned macaque celebrated its second birthday
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The world’s first cloned rhesus macaque named ReTro celebrated his second birthday. This lifespan is unprecedented for clones of this species.
In order to breed this species, a team of scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) changed the cloning method by using cell replacement technology, writes Science Alert.
Researchers have already learned how to clone different types of mammals. It was possible to clone Dolly the sheep, dogs, pigs and cattle using the traditional method. However, with the breeding of primates, it is somewhat more difficult. When cloning monkeys, it was found that the traditional method of in vitro fertilization is not suitable. When using it, a large number of embryos died on the 60th day of pregnancy.
To understand what the problem is, Chinese scientists analyzed rhesus macaque embryos and found somatic cell problems and placental defects. Therefore, scientists “interfered” in the work of genes and tried to replace the diseased placenta with a healthy one and trophoblast (outer cells of a few-day-old embryo).
| PHOTO: Nature Communications |
Although only one monkey has been bred using this method, scientists say that it is already a great success. Of all 11 embryos they transferred into the wombs of females, only one was born alive.
“This strategy increases the chances of solving problems related specifically to the trophectoderm, which plays a crucial role in early embryonic development and implantation,” – claims the team of scientists.
Scientists say that in the future the method can be used in in vitro fertilization. If the human embryo has developmental abnormalities at the cellular level, this technique will help preserve the pregnancy.
However, the researchers emphasize that this would require much more effort and would inevitably lead to the death of more animals.
We will remind, earlier in China cloned arctic wolf. It was carried by a beagle dog.
Read also: Why have scientists not yet cloned a person?
Vira Shurmakevich, “UP. Life”
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