Biological time machines: a realistic approach for cloning an extinct mammal

[摘要] ABSTRACT: A recent paper entitled ‘Resurrection of DNA function in vivo from an extinct genome’ (Pask et al. 2008; PLoS ONE 3:e2240) suggests that the return to life of extinct animals could be just around the corner. Indeed, every time a mammoth is unearthed, hot debates on the possibility of ‘resuscitating’ it take place worldwide. However, most of this on-going discussion is purely speculative, and is not backed by rigorous scientific criteria. In the present review we describe a step-by-step approach to test the functionality of nuclei collected from a non-living mammal through nuclear transplantation into enucleated oocytes.

[学科分类] 动物科学

[关键词] Extinct animal;Nuclear integrity;Cloning;Embryo transfer