- The Chinese scientists have first time cloned two macaque monkeys through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technique. These two monkeys namely, Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua were born eight and six weeks ago using the same SCNT technique on which Dolly cloned ship was born in 1996 in Edinburgh.
- According to the Chinese Academy of Science, by cloning two monkeys, they broke the last barrier of human cloning. Although macaque has been cloned earlier too, but that was done by splitting an embryo, in the similar way identical twins arises in nature. Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua were produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technique.
- Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua are the first two primates to be cloned.
- Under SNCT technique, DNA was taken from a macaque foetus cell. They put in an egg and were fertilised artificially to form an embryo, which later born to a surrogate mother.
- Since monkeys are the most human like animal, their cloning have paved the way for human cloning.
Benefits - According to the researchers, first group of primates clones will be models for neurodegenerative diseases. These two monkeys cloning will help in these ways:
1. It will help scientists to probe the mechanisms behind human diseases like alzhamier and parkinsons.
2. It will help in drug screening and the development of other therapeutics.
What is Cloning?
In layman language, Clone is an artificially produced genetically identical plant or animal. It is effectively carbon-copying the DNA of a single individual. By the process to which clone is created, is called cloning. There are three different types of cloning:
1. Gene cloning,
2. Reproductive cloning and
3. Therapeutic cloning.
