The first fourth generation cloned pig in the world

On August 8, 2007, Japanese geneticists officially announced the creation of the world's first fourth-generation cloned pig - an important achievement in the field of successive duplication. system.

According to the research team, this achievement will help scientists a lot in medical research as well as other fields. Professor Hiroshi Nagashimam, a genetic specialist at Meiji University in Tokyo, said a fourth generation cloned boar was born at the school on July 23.

According to Mr. Nagashima, previous efforts to duplicate pigs over generations have been extremely complicated. That's because - according to many scientists' thinking - genetic material in the nucleus of 'human / animal cells ' (donor cells) can be degraded through generations.

Fourth generation cloned pigs are being raised in a breeding facility in Ibaraki Prefecture, Northeast Tokyo.(Photo: AP / Hiroshi Nagashima)

But this new success has demonstrated that successive duplication over generations is something that can still be done without the degradation of the cell nucleus. In this case, according to the team's way of speaking, the creation of 'a cloned animal from a cloned animal from an animal cloned from an animal' , ie four generations all.

Dr. Akira Onishi, genetic expert of the Japanese Agriculture and Fisheries Research Council, said that the new pig is likely to be the first fourth generation cloned pig in the world. He said: 'I have not heard of any similar clones happening at all.'

As a member of the research team, Onishi hopes that this achievement could provide additional experience for other researchers on cloning.

Speaking to the press, he said: 'So far, the successful replication rate has been relatively low, despite being implemented in any species. Researchers have been trying to improve duplication efficiency, but have yet to make a real step forward. Therefore, our success has contributed positively to that improvement . '

Previously, American scientists cloned mice to the 6th generation. But Mr. Nagashimam said his project was much more useful, because compared to rats, pigs were more closely related to humans.

According to him, if the study of pig replication continues to be promoted, cloned pig organs and cells can be used for human transplantation to treat various diseases - such as pancreas grafting. Pig organs cloned for diabetics.

Quang Thinh