The idea of resurrecting the woolly mammoth may no longer be science fiction according to the results of a study at the National Academy of Sciences. In the experiment healthy cloned mice were cloned successfully from dead mice cells which had been frozen for 16years. This research could be incredibly useful for the maintenance of genetic diversity of endangered species as they could be saved by simply throwing the dead animal in the freezer and cloned later.
The researchers took a nucleus from one of the cells in the dead mouse’s tissue which had been frozen and thawed. The nucleus was then injected into a mouse cell which had had its nucleus removed. This resulted in an embryo which is used to create embryonic stem cells capable of making every cell in the mouse’s body. Clones were then produced by injecting the nuclei of these cells into other eggs.
Whilst this technique was successful for the mice it will be much more difficult although not impossible to clone extinct animals. This is because the extinct animals such as woolly mammoths have been frozen and thawed several times causing far more damage to the nucleus of their cells than those of the mice. With more research however, it is now believed that resurrecting the ancient animals will be possible.
The researchers took a nucleus from one of the cells in the dead mouse’s tissue which had been frozen and thawed. The nucleus was then injected into a mouse cell which had had its nucleus removed. This resulted in an embryo which is used to create embryonic stem cells capable of making every cell in the mouse’s body. Clones were then produced by injecting the nuclei of these cells into other eggs.
Whilst this technique was successful for the mice it will be much more difficult although not impossible to clone extinct animals. This is because the extinct animals such as woolly mammoths have been frozen and thawed several times causing far more damage to the nucleus of their cells than those of the mice. With more research however, it is now believed that resurrecting the ancient animals will be possible.
From New Scientist Article: “Cloning 'resurrects' long-dead mice” 03 November 2008 by Rachel Nowak
Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0806166105
