Cloning: A Phenomenon Which Revolutionized the Perception of Genomic Science

Cloning is the process that developing genetically identical cells or organisms. Different type of organisms is cloned including plants and animals. The main purpose of cloning is for research, drug designing, and other reproductive purposes.

In 1997 brought this new phenomenon of genomic science comes when an international group of scientists published the promising research article entitled “Viable offspring derived from the fetal and adult mammalian cells” in the Journal of Nature.

First Cloned Animal: Dolly the Sheep

The purpose of this study is to describe how the first animal was cloned from an adult cell. The story of the dolly begins via egg cells and mammary cells from different breeds of sheep. The nucleus is removed from the egg called enucleation. Then mammary cells are combined with the egg cell by using the electric shock. The combined cell begins to divide normally and become an early embryo, then it is placed in the uterus of a gestational carrier. It develops into a fetus and a lamb is born.

Dolly was a great project for producing the genetically modified sheep that manufactured beneficial protein in their milk. Dolly was a great revolutionary event because it proved that fully developed adult cells have the ability to act as a cell from a newly fertilized embryo. The researcher still works on genetically modified animals cloned for the health, welfare, and productivity of livestock.

( lead image taken from Unplash)