Nuclear Transfer And Its Effect On The Body Of A Surrogate...

This is referred to as totipotency and it allows scientists to split animal embryos into several cells to produce multiple organisms that are genetically identical. Modern techniques begin with stripping the embryo of the protective layer. After each blastomere has been separated from the embryo mass, the cell is encased in its own protective synthetic layer. Each blastomere cell, is now considered a new separate embryo and is cultured in vitro and later in vivo in a surrogate mother until birth (Roberge, 2004). Cloning by nuclear transfer is based on the concept that the animal’s genome is located in the cell nucleus. The only exception to this is the small amount of DNA of 16, 000 base pairs found in the mitochondria. In this process†¦show more content†¦In this process, somatic cells with their nuclei are allowed to grow and divide, these cells are then deprived of nutrients to induce the cells into a suspended or dormant stage. An egg cell that has had its nucleus removed is then placed in close proximity to a somatic cell and both cells are shocked with an electrical pulse. The cells fuse and the egg is allowed to develop in to an embryo. The Honolulu Technique was developed at the University of Hawaii by Dr. Teruhiko. In this method, the donor nucleus from a somatic cell is removed using a special pipette, and is microinjected into an egg that has had the nucleus removed. The egg is placed in a chemical solution and it is cultured. The developing embryo is then implanted into a surrogate and allowed to develop. Twenty-two fertile, female mice were cloned from nuclei of adult ovarian cumulus cells by this method. Dolly the sheep was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell. She was derived from cells that were taken from the udder of a six year old ewe. In this case, the genetic material in the nucleus was transferred from adult somatic cells that were cultured. Individual cells were then fused with unfertilised eggs from which the genetic material had been removed. Two hundred and seventy seven of these reconstructed eggs were cultured for 6 days in temporary recipients. Twenty-nine of the eggs that appeared to have developed normally