China clones world's first macaques by method that made Dolly

China Plus/Reuters Published: 2018-01-25 06:52:04
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It's been announced that Chinese scientists have for the first time cloned monkeys using the same technique that produced Dolly the sheep two decades ago.

The research is expected to shed light on the study, intervention and treatments of some complex human diseases.

The photo shows the two cloning macaques, Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua. [Photo: Shanghai municipal government]

The photo shows the two cloning macaques, Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua. [Photo: Shanghai municipal government]

The two identical long-tailed macaques, Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua, were born eight and six weeks ago.

They are the first non-human primates to be cloned from a non-embryonic cell using a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Neuroscience in Shanghai said their work should be a boon to medical research by making it possible to study diseases in populations of genetically uniform monkeys.

Two cloned macaques named Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua are fed at the non-human-primate research facility under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jan. 22, 2018.[Photo: Xinhua]

Two cloned macaques named Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua are fed at the non-human-primate research facility under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jan. 22, 2018.[Photo: Xinhua]

Genetically identical animals are useful in research because confounding factors caused by genetic variability in non-cloned animals can complicate experiments. They could be used to test new drugs for a range of diseases before clinical use.

Poo Muming, the director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Neuroscience, said:" Regarding monkey cloning, we can carry out effective selection using only a few monkeys, which makes monkeys a truly useful animal model. Mice used to be a good animal model because we generated strains with similar genetic backgrounds. Now with the cloning monkeys, we have also achieved that, so I think our breakthrough is promising."

File photo provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows two cloned macaques named Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua at the non-human-primate research facility under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. [Photo: Xinhua]

File photo provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows two cloned macaques named Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua at the non-human-primate research facility under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. [Photo: Xinhua]

The cloned monkeys may first contribute to the country's research in brain disease and science.

Poo said they will target gene-related brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and autism.

The Chinese monkeys were born around 20 years after cloning's poster child, Dolly the sheep, came into being in Scotland.

In this image taken from undated video provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, cloned monkeys Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua sit in a plastic enclosure. For the first time, researchers have used the cloning method that produced Dolly the sheep to create two healthy monkeys, potentially bringing scientists closer to being able to do that with humans. [Photo: AP]

In this image taken from undated video provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, cloned monkeys Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua sit in a plastic enclosure. For the first time, researchers have used the cloning method that produced Dolly the sheep to create two healthy monkeys, potentially bringing scientists closer to being able to do that with humans. [Photo: AP]

Over the years, scientists have successfully used the SCNT technique to clone more than 20 other species, including cows, pigs, dogs, rabbits, rats and mice.

Similar work in primates, however, has always failed, leading some experts to wonder if primates were resistant.

The new research, published in the journal Cell on Wednesday, shows that is not the case. The Chinese team succeeded, after many attempts, by using modulators to switch on or off certain genes that were inhibiting embryo development.

Even so, their success rate was extremely low and the technique only worked when nuclei were transferred from foetal cells, rather than adult ones, as was the case with Dolly.

In all, it took 127 eggs to produce two live macaque births.

In this undated photo provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, cloned monkeys Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua sit together with a fabric toy. For the first time, researchers have used the cloning method that produced Dolly the sheep to create two healthy monkeys, potentially bringing scientists closer to being able to do that with humans. [Photo: AP]

In this undated photo provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, cloned monkeys Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua sit together with a fabric toy. For the first time, researchers have used the cloning method that produced Dolly the sheep to create two healthy monkeys, potentially bringing scientists closer to being able to do that with humans. [Photo: AP]

Sun Qiang, who also took part in the program, said:" In 2016, we got 127 egg cells, 109 reconstructed embryos and nearly 80 good embryos that can be used in transplant. We transplanted them into 21 monkeys and six got pregnant - two without foetal hearts aborted in the process, another two had gestational sac only, but we found the fetus and foetal hearts in the last two. We were looking after them like treasures in hope of the newborns. Fortunately, they were born at the end of 2017 and are very healthy."

The two newborns are now being bottle fed and are growing normally. More macaque clones are expected to be born over the coming months.

The photo, taken on January 24, shows Poo Muming (Left), the director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Neuroscience, Sun Qiang and Liu Zhen (Right) at a press conference held in Beijing. [Photo: Xinhua]

The photo, taken on January 24, shows Poo Muming (Left), the director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Neuroscience, Sun Qiang and Liu Zhen (Right) at a press conference held in Beijing. [Photo: Xinhua]

The research underscores China's increasingly important role at the cutting-edge of biosciences.

But it also sparks concerns about the feasibility of cloning to the doorstep of our own species.

Scientists at the Shanghai institute said they followed international guidelines for animal research set by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

File photo provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows two cloned macaques named Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua at the non-human-primate research facility under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. [Photo: Xinhua]

File photo provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows two cloned macaques named Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua at the non-human-primate research facility under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. [Photo: Xinhua]

Poo Muming at the institute reiterated its medical purpose, saying "We never think about human cloning. Our purpose is to improve medical service to the people by cloning monkeys. That is our main purpose. And it (monkey cloning) is also helpful for basic research in brain science. It has nothing to do with human cloning, but I know you are all concerned about it."

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