Scientists clone mouse using a single drop of blood

Scientists in Japan have cloned a mouse from a single drop of blood.

Circulating blood cells collected from the tail of a donor mouse were used to produce the clone, a team at the Riken BioResource Center reports in the journal Biology of Reproduction.

The female mouse lived a normal lifespan and could give birth to young, say the researchers.

Scientists at a linked institute recently created nearly 600 exact genetic copies of one mouse.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23068423

Commenting on the study, Professor Robin Lovell-Badge of the MRC National Institute of Medical Research in London, said it was a useful small advance on previous work showing that it is possible to clone mice from a variety of adult cell types, including white blood cells.

He told BBC News: "The efficiency of cloning from these cell types was very good, suggesting that even a small drop of blood will contain sufficient numbers...this is helpful if the intention is to use cloning to propagate and expand numbers of rare or valuable types of individual or species."

 

This doesn't really count as tampering with DNA does it, seeing as they don't change the genetic make-up. Bring on the mammoth I say.

 

Bring on the mammoth I say.


As long as it behaves like an elephant I don't see an issue with trying to house one. When we start bringing back dinosaurs though I'm gonna start saving up money for the rides at Jurassic Park.