Loi P, Ptak G, Barboni B, Fulka J, Cappai P, Clinton M
Department of Structure, Functions, Animal Pathology and Biotechnology, University of Teramo, Italy.
Nat Biotechnol. 2001 Oct;19(10):962-4. doi: 10.1038/nbt1001-962.
Since the advent of procedures for cloning animals, conservation biologists have proposed using this technology to preserve endangered mammals. Here we report the successful cloning of a wild endangered animal, Ovis orientalis musimon, using oocytes collected from a closely related, domesticated species, Ovis aries. We injected enucleated sheep oocytes with granulosa cells collected from two female mouflons found dead in the pasture. Blastocyst-stage cloned embryos transferred into sheep foster mothers established two pregnancies, one of which produced an apparently normal mouflon. Our findings support the use of cloning for the expansion of critically endangered populations.
自从动物克隆技术出现以来，保护生物学家就提议使用这项技术来保护濒危哺乳动物。在此，我们报告了利用从密切相关的家养物种——绵羊（Ovis aries）采集的卵母细胞，成功克隆出野生濒危动物——摩弗伦羊（Ovis orientalis musimon）。我们将从在牧场中发现死亡的两只雌性摩弗伦羊采集的颗粒细胞注射到去核的绵羊卵母细胞中。将囊胚期的克隆胚胎移植到绵羊代孕母体内，成功建立了两次妊娠，其中一次产出了一只外表看似正常的摩弗伦羊。我们的研究结果支持利用克隆技术来扩大极度濒危种群。
