1 week ago

Scientists Create Fertile Female Clones From Male Mice

Scientists Create Fertile Female Clones From Male Mice
"Quite Remarkable": Scientists Create Female Clones From Male Mice · NDTV

Scientists in Japan made female mice using cells from male mice.

Male mice usually have X and Y chromosomes.

The scientists used gene editing to remove the Y chromosome.

This left embryos with only an X chromosome, called XO.

Surrogate mice carried the embryos and gave birth to female pups.

The pups were fertile, meaning they could reproduce.

This could someday help endangered animals if no females are left.

However, only a small number of embryos became healthy mice.

Experts also said the method may not work in humans, horses, or many wild animals.

Key facts

Technique
CRISPR-based Y-CUT, also called dual-sex cloning
Donor cells
Male mouse somatic cells
Cloned mice
Female mice with XO sex chromosomes
Birth process
Engineered embryos were transferred to surrogate mice
Reproductive result
The female clones were fertile
Current limitation
Only a small percentage of embryos developed into live, healthy mice
Conservation potential
The method could potentially create female breeding stock from preserved male tissue

Quotes

Shogo Matoba

Author of the Japanese study.

“The most exciting moment was actually when the first female clone was born from a male somatic cell.”
NDTV

Teruhiko Wakayama

University of Yamanashi scientist quoted by New Scientist.

“It would be incredibly valuable if this were successful in species other than mice.”
NDTV

Linda Penfold

Representative of SEZARC, a US-based group of zoos and conservation centres.

“Y-deleted offspring are not fertile in humans and horses, and therefore this is likely to be the case in multiple wildlife species”
NDTV

Sources

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