http://www.smh.com.au/world/first-genetically-modified-monkeys-born-20120106-1pog4.html First genetically modified monkeys born January 7, 2012 a.. Cells from several rhesus monkey embryos were fused together.
US RESEARCHERS say they have created the world's first genetically modified monkeys by fusing cells from up to six different embryos, in what could be a big advance for medical research. Until now, rodents have been the primary creatures used to make chimeras, a lab animal produced by combining two or more fertilised eggs or early embryos. Scientists have long been able to create ''knock-out'' mice with certain genes deleted in order to study a host of ailments, including obesity, heart disease, anxiety, diabetes and Parkinson's disease. Advertisement: Story continues below Attempts to do the same with primates have failed in the past, but scientists in the western state of Oregon succeeded by altering the method used to make mice. The breakthrough came when they mixed together cells from very early stage rhesus monkey embryos, in a state known as totipotent, when they are able to give rise to a whole animal as well as the placenta and other life-sustaining tissues. ''Knock-out'' mice are typically made by introducing embryonic stem cells that have been cultured in a lab dish into a mouse embryo, but that method failed in monkeys. Fusing primate cells apparently requires more potent, early stage cells from a living embryo, said lead researcher Shoukhrat Mitalipov of the Oregon National Primate Research Centre at Oregon Health and Science University. The experiment produced three healthy male rhesus monkeys they named Roku, Hex and Chimero, with gene traits from all of the separate embryos used to meld them. ''The possibilities for science are enormous,'' said Mitalipov. The research is published online in advance of the release of the January 20 issue of the journal Cell. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/first-genetically-modified-monkeys-born-20120106-1pog4.html#ixzz1io2D2dtR [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Post message: [email protected] Subscribe : [email protected] Unsubscribe : [email protected] List owner : [email protected] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
