Researchers in Oregon used cloning to produce monkey embryos and then extracted stem cells from the embryos. They believe this could also work for humans. The monkey stem cells were genetically identical to an adult monkey and in theory could develop into any tissue or organ. They showed this by developing them into monkey heart cells and nerve cells.
The scientists began by removing skin cells from a 9 year old male and inserted them along with all their genes, into monkey eggs whose genetic material had been removed. The egg, in a part cloning process that remains ‘mysterious’, reprogrammed the gene from the skin cells, bringing them back to the state they were in when embryo development begins. The reprogrammed genes to over the developing egg and the result was a monkey embryo genetically identical to the adult male monkey. The researchers then extracted stem cells, destroying the embryos.
Most attempts failed with only two stem cell lines succeeding, one with a abnormal Y chromosome and one that appeared normal. Researches shined a polarized light through the egg which allowed them to see the chromosome directly without the use of dies.
The next step is to create cloned monkeys that carry genes for human disease, by adding human disease genes to adult skin cells before starting cloning. The result would be cloned monkeys that had human disease genes in every cell. Scientists would then study the monkeys to understand the cause and treatment of the disease.
Shannon Landmark P5, Jonathan Hansen
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